The Syracuse Orange Men's Basketball team entered into their final home game of the 2023-24 season having won two games in a row overall, and three of their last four.
Virginia Tech came to Central New York after losing on the road to the Pittsburgh Panthers, with the Hokies losing five of their last seven overall.
Syracuse and Virginia Tech began their head-to-head history back on February 28, 1976, almost exactly 48 years ago.
The Orange came into this contest leading the all-time series 12-7, with an 8-2 record at home (which included some games outside of the Dome, prior to 1980) and a 3-5 record on the road.
Syracuse went 1-1 against Virginia Tech last season, winning 82-72 at home and then losing 85-70 in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Transfer redshirt-sophomore guard Kyle Cuffe, Jr., took his dribble from half-court down the right sideline and to the rim for two followed by a three to get the Orange ahead 24-18. It remained no more than a two-possession game from the start of the game through to this point, the 7:49 mark, until sophomore guard Quadir Copeland scored on a layup off of a steal by fellow sophomore guard Judah Mintz at the 7:09 mark that brought the score to 26-18.
The Orange would roll out far beyond a two-possession game, ahead 45-27 at the break. Syracuse would finish the first half on a 16-7 run.
Mintz ended the first half as the only player on both teams in double-figures, with 16 points.
Junior guard Sean Pedulla led all Hokies with eight points in the first half.
Orange sophomore guard Justin Taylor totaled six rebounds in the opening period.
At the media timeout with 11:49 to go, Virginia Tech had out-scored Syracuse 22-18 in the second half, bringing the score to 63-49. The Hokies would connect from the left corner immediately following this media timeout, shrinking the Orange lead to 11, 63-52, as the Hokies attempted to make a run.
Virginia Tech would cut their deficit to single-digits at the 7:58 mark on a layup by senior center Lynn Kidd that made it 69-60.
Pedulla would get a layup of his own on the next Hokies' possession, turning an 18-point lead by the Orange at halftime into a seven-point game, 69-62, with 7:16 remaining.
Despite being out-scored in the second half, 44 to 39, Syracuse would win by double-digits, 84-71, in their 16th and final home game of the 2023-24 season.
As a result, Adrian Autry ends his first campaign as Orange Head Coach with a 14-2 record at home in the Dome.
Syracuse advances to 19-10 overall, and 10-9 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Virginia Tech moves to 15-13 overall, and 7-10 in the ACC.
As he did in the first half, Mintz would lead all players on both teams for the game as a whole, scoring 29 points.
Sophomore guard J.J. Starling would follow Mintz with 13 and Copeland and sophomore forward Maliq Brown each ended with 12 points.
Pedulla led the way for the Hokies with 18 points, followed by Kidd with 16, graduate guard Hunter Cattoor with 12, and junior forward Mylyjael Poteat with 11.
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