Field Level Media
Jan 7, 2020
Freshman guard Jalen Cone scored 16 of his game-high 19 points in the second half to rally Virginia Tech past Syracuse 67-63 in an ACC game Tuesday night in Syracuse, N.Y.
Landers Nolley II scored 13 points and P.J Horne had 12 for Virginia Tech (11-4, 2-2 ACC). The Hokies had 20 assists for their 21 made field goals (10 of them 3-pointers). Wabissa Bede led the Hokies with eight assists.
Syracuse (8-7, 1-3) was paced by Elijah Hughes' 18 points, but he struggled from the field, making only 6 of 16 shots. Quincy Gerrier and Joseph Girard III each had 12 points, and Buddy Boeheim 10.
Cone's 3-pointer with 1:41 left put Virginia Tech ahead 60-54. He finished 5 of 7 from beyond the arc.
A 3-pointer by Hughes with 1:19 remaining cut the lead to 62-59, but Horne answered with a 3-pointer on the following possession.
Gerrier was fouled while making a layup with 23 seconds left to cut the lead to 64-61, but he missed the free throw.
After two free throws by Nolley, Gerrier went in for a dunk to cut the lead to 66-63 with 9.4 seconds left.
Nolley was fouled and made one of two free throws to make it a two-possession game with eight seconds remaining.
Girard was the game's only double-figure scorer in the first half with 12 points as the Orange built a 33-27 halftime lead.
After Syracuse built a 40-31 lead with 12:11 left in regulation on a Hughes layup, Virginia Tech rallied, including a four-point play by Cone, to take a 52-44 lead with 7:46 remaining.
At that point in the second half, Syracuse was shooting 25 percent from the field with five turnovers.
--Field Level Media