NCAA: Syracuse pushes ahead 40-39 with 13:27 left for first lead of game vs. Butler

more images

NCAA: Syracuse leads for first time

There might not be a purer 3-point shooter left in the tournament than Syracuse guard Andy Rautins, who has been hobbled a bit by a bum leg. Remember that he missed all the 2007-08 season because of knee surgery for an injury sustained that summer.

Rautins sure elevated just fine for a deep 3-pointer, which was followed by a slam from Big East player of the year Wes Johnson. Then Johnson came down the court and knocked down his own 3-pointer — nice range for the big guy, the kind that NBA scouts love — to suddenly push Syracuse ahead 40-39 with 13:27 left. It’s their first lead of the game.

Cornell has made its way to the Carrier Dome. The Big Red were greeted with cheers and screams of “Let’s go, Big Red!” as they took their front-row seats during halftime.

The Big Red play the second game against top-seeded Kentucky here in Syracuse, N.Y. We all know the country is rooting for Big Red. Wonder who Cornell is rooting for in the Washington-West Virginia game.

For all the struggles by the Orange, they’re still within striking distance early in the second half. But don’t forget that Butler is having some problems of its own, and Syracuse is a bit lucky to be trailing 39-32.

The Bulldogs’ Shelvin Mack is just 1 for 7 from beyond the arc, after hitting at least three 3-pointers in nine straight games. They’re 3 for 16 from long range as a team, and the ability to hit that shot is important against Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim’s vaunted 1-3-1 zone.

Rautins beats Mack for loose ball, stops, makes 3-pointer. Then, gets held by Nored as he’s working through a pick. Glares at ref. Then, misses a good look at a 3. Frustrating night so far for top-shooting team in the NCAA. Boeheim working the refs, too.

Rick Jackson’s stone hands are hurting Syracuse down low. He really has a hard time just catching entry passes. The big man just committed his third turnover.

Want to hush 20,000 fans? Make them watch the first half of Washington-West Virginia. WVU has 13 turnovers and Washington 11. There was even an airball right before the half. But the Huskies don’t care if the game is pretty, as long as they win. They’re up 29-27 at halftime. This half will not make the NCAA tournament highlight video.

From the opening tip, Syracuse looked passive and flat. The Orange haven’t played at all with the energy, athleticism and flair they displayed all season. They let Butler gain confidence after a slow start, and now Syracuse has a big hill to climb. It’s the Orange’s biggest halftime deficit this season.

Boeheim coached ‘em up in the locker room, and now he’s sitting on a chair in front of the bench, coaching ‘em up some more. Meanwhile, Butler huddles near the free-throw line, sans coach, to get ready for second half.

Foul trouble is becoming an issue for both teams in the Washington-West Virginia game. Pondexter out with three fouls, two of them offensive (and zero points). On the other side, Mountaineers point guard Joe Mazzulla, filling in for injured Darryl Bryant, is out with two fouls. That has coach Bob Huggins going deeper on his bench than usual.

Washington’s Justin Holiday hits the first 3-pointer of the game for either team, giving the Huskies a 20-14 lead. Kevin Jones answers for the Mountaineers from NBA range. WVU averages almost 73 points a game.

Pondexter draws his third foul with 4½ minutes left in the first half and heads to the bench. Huskies still lead, though.

Butler leads 35-25 at halftime and looks like the team that’s been here before — grabbing more loose balls, making more hustle plays and shutting down Andy Rautins, who has only taken two shots at halftime. Both teams shooting poorly: Syracuse 8-for-21, Butler 12-for-30. Shot differential is because of turnovers: Syracuse 12, Butler 2. ‘Cuse can’t win like that. Mack leads Bulldogs with 14 points. For the record, this is Butler’s third Sweet 16 and Syracuse’s fourth since 2003.

A few cheers in the Carrier Dome when the score of the Syracuse game is announced. Cornell fans rooting against their upstate New York rivals? Big Red have lost 32 in a row to Syracuse, including an 88-73 defeat in November.

Maybe it’s tough defense. Or trying to live up to great expectations. Or missing a star player. Or nerves. Syracuse trails Butler 35-25 at halftime. Lowest-scoring first half this season for the Orange (had 26 vs WVU). Not that Washington and West Virginia are burning the nets, either. Huskies lead 13-10 after 12 minutes.

Syracuse is playing the same time in Utah as the West Virginia-Washington game, but that hasn’t kept fans away from the Carrier Dome. The dome is mostly full, and Cornell red is the popular color of the day.

But the Huskies brought hundreds of fans, and they’re standing all dressed in purple. They haven’t seen much scoring.

The Huskies lead 10-6 midway through the first half. Not a lot of scoring in the first 10 minutes for two teams — Mountaineers get only two baskets in 13 possessions.

Butler-Syracuse have combined for 19 FTs and taken three timeouts on top of the five for TV. They’re shooting a combined 16-for-41. A bit choppy and ugly to everyone except for the Bulldogs. Butler 31, Syracuse 21, 3:25 left in first.

Washington’s Quincy Pondexter picks up his second foul of the game just 6 minutes in. He’s the Huskies’ top scorer and already has a game-winning shot in the tournament. Tough break for them.

Syracuse starting to show its frustration. Plays great defense for 33 seconds, forces Mack into a forced 3-pointer, but Rautins makes contact, gets called for a foul and yells at ref.

Matt Howard of Butler gets his shot rejected off glass by Wes Johnson of Syracuse, but has presence of mind to scramble and tap the rebound back to teammate Shelvin Mack. Who drains a 12-footer. Hustle play that helps explain how Bulldogs have run out to 19-12 lead at 7:36 mark of first half. Having no turnovers also helps.

Washington and West Virginia starting slowly. Huskies lead 4-2 at the first timeout despite an air ball by Quincy Poindexter to start the game, two turnovers and a missed layup. Kevin Jones matched that air ball for the Mountaineers, who have three turnovers and only an alley-oop dunk by Da’Sean Butler.

Jitters? 3½ minutes in, it’s West Virginia 2, Washington 2 — and two turnovers for each team.

More TOs in SLC, too.

Turnovers: Syracuse 8, Butler 0. Score: Butler 17, Syracuse 10.

Exhibit A on how to beat a zone, courtesy of Butler: Work the ball around the perimeter, bounce it down to the baseline and drive there, look for collapsing defense, then kick it back out to the open man. Bulldogs are doing that against Boeheim’s vaunted zone and have a surprising 13-6 lead with 10:53 left in the first. Boeheim on the bench, shaking his head.

Six Syracuse turnovers in first 9 minutes. The No. 1 doesn’t look like a No. 1 against Butler. Also shooting 2-for-6.

We may never see an NCAA tournament game back at the Huntsman Center, the home of the Utah Utes. The building that hosted the classic 1979 final between Magic and Bird, along with 15 other early-round and regional weekends from 1971 through 2006, is dark this week. The West regional is being held at Energy Solutions Arena, formerly known as the Delta Center. Huntsman was one of the most intimate venues in basketball which, predictably, is probably the reason it’s being phased out of the rotation. The tourney’s next visit to Salt Lake City is in 2013, also at Energy Solutions.

A quick thought: With the opening-round game always held in Dayton, how about rotating each year around college basketball’s hallowed arenas? Pauley Pavilion at UCLA one year, Allen Fieldhouse in Kansas the next, then the venerable Palestra in Philly?

West tidbit: For all the big-name teams that Butler has beaten over the years in the tournament — Louisville, Maryland and more — the highest-ranked team the Bulldogs have ever beaten was No. 3 Michigan in 1965. Syracuse was ranked No. 4 heading into the tournament.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim chaired the USA Basketball committee that put Butler’s Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack on the team that won July’s under-19 world championship. Could use ‘em about now. The Orange had yet to take a shot before the first TV timeout, 0-for-3.

Good seats available: With no West regional team located within 1,000 miles of Salt Lake City, there are huge chunks of wide-open seats, especially in the upper deck. Without a real rooting interest, fans tend to pull for the underdog — cheers as Butler takes a 5-0 lead after 4½ minutes.

Regional semifinals. Tonight it gets real serious in the NCAA tournament. Two wins, you’re in the Final Four.

All eyes will be on Syracuse, one way or another. The top-seeded Orange go first this evening, playing perennially pesky Butler in the Salt Lake City.

A little later, the East games start up at the Carrier Dome, with West Virginia-Washington followed by the most intriguing matchup of all — Kentucky vs. Cornell. Should make for a neat scene with perhaps some Syracuse fans trying to follow their team from across the country.