DETROIT — Jamie Dixon’s path was set to automatic. He clenched his fists. He clapped his hands. He retreated to and from his seat, knelt and shouted.

For years, Dixon had figured out Jim Boeheim’s patented zone as well as just about anybody. He said on Thursday afternoon that he’d studied Syracuse’s zone and tried to implement aspects at Pittsburgh. The Panthers played man-to-man almost exclusively, but a variation of Boeheim’s zone was Dixon’s secondary defense.

Texas Christian’s game plan Friday night centered on beating the Orange up the floor, dictating pace and generating open shots, assistant coach David Patrick said Thursday.

But TCU, the deeper and more superior offensive team, could not command tempo. It ran into a wall of a 2-3 defense, as No. 11-seeded Syracuse (22-13, 8-10 Atlantic Coast) smothered and outmuscled the No. 6-seeded Horned Frogs (21-12, 9-9 Big 12), 57-52, at Little Caesars Arena. Marek Dolezaj led the Orange with 17 points while Oshae Brissett added 13 points, providing much-needed relief for an SU team whose leading backcourt combined for just 14.

Two days after a 60-56 win over Arizona State in Dayton, Ohio, the Orange met a TCU team coming off the longest NCAA Tournament drought for a Power 5 school. The Horned Frogs won the NIT a year ago and are led by Dixon, whose Pitt teams carved up the 2-3 zone and went 15-6 against Syracuse. But Syracuse’s defense created gridlock inside and contested the perimeter throughout.

“That was just a defensive game,” Boeheim said. “We didn’t give them good looks from the 3-point line. Our defense was fabulous.”

It has been for two-straight games now, as a Round of 32 matchup against third-seeded Michigan State awaits on Sunday. The Orange — after dropping three of its final four regular-season games and exiting in the second round of the ACC Tournament just nine days ago — dances on, even after making the NCAA Tournament as the last at-large bid just five days ago.

Not only is the Orange one game away from the Sweet Sixteen, but the Spartans are beatable. They have lost only four games, but looked vulnerable against No. 14 seed Bucknell earlier in the day, with the Bison holding the lead for short spurts in the second half.

Syracuse appeared in control after about 15 minutes against the Horned Frogs — an active defense and 13 points from freshman forward Dolezaj created that image — until the final minutes of the first half. The Orange allowed space along the baseline for TCU cutters, Dolezaj cooled off and Tyus Battle and Frank Howard combined for just four first-half points. The Horned Frogs went into the break on an 8-0 run, having just taken a 28-27 lead despite their leading scorer, Vladimir Brodziansky, making one first-half field goal.

“We know we’re not an offensive team,” Dolezaj said, “so we tried to get them out of their spots.”

But in the second half the zone tightened up and Dolezaj clicked again. Ten days after a career-high 20 points in the ACC Tournament first round, the freshman forward knocked down jumpers from 15 feet. With the shot clock winding down, Battle flipped a pass to Dolezaj, who hit a running shot along the baseline. But he scored just four second-half points and fouled out with 6:12 remaining.

Throughout a season marred by nagging injuries and a lack of depth, the Orange outlasted fatigue. In a taut, back-and-forth game, marked by SU’s defense, it’s fitting that the final TCU possession ended on a forced 3-pointer that prompted a contingent of Orange fans into a roar. The Horned Frogs shot 3-for-17 from deep.

“Our guards got over the screens,” Brissett. “That really blew out their whole thing. Usually they get guys off those screens and hit the corner. But me, Marek, Matt(hew) Moyer, we were really able to fly out on the shooters and contest their shots.”

The lasting image from Friday night came moments later, when Brissett came over for high-fives with players’ families. An “Oshae, Oshae, Oshae, Oshae …” chant broke out. That’s because, with about six minutes left, Brissett cut his way inside and banked in consecutive layups through a crowd of white jerseys. Then, with Battle and Howard held quiet and Dolezaj sidelined, Brissett went to work. He backed down, spun right and layed in a basket to push SU’s lead to three. He, and Syracuse, willed their way to the win, behind a stifling defense that has held its last two opponents to 56 and 52 points.

This year, the team Syracuse assembled fought hard down the stretch run, perhaps as much as any in head coach Jim Boeheim’s 42-year tenure, he has said repeatedly. Syracuse lost Taurean Thompson, who would have filled a large hole in SU’s scheme as an offensive force inside the paint. Losing Geno Thorpe (left program) and Howard Washington (injury) cut Syracuse’s backcourt depth in half, leaving the job to essentially two players. Freshman forward Bourama Sidibe was supposed to provide about 20 minutes per game at the center position, but he battled tendinitis all year long that limited his ability to defend and score.

Along the way, the Orange beat just one AP Top 25 team, on the last day of the regular season. SU has not beaten a top-10 team, which it has done every year since 2004-05. None of that mattered against the Dixon-led Horned Frogs.

“Coach (Boeheim) told us they’re going to have plays that will try to coach our zone, because Dixon knows it well,” said SU junior center Paschal Chukwu, who had six points and two blocks. “We went after the ball. When the ball is up in the air, we boxed out. We made little changes. We sent five guys to the ball and went for rebounds.”

With about six seconds left, TCU threw up another deep 3. It didn’t hit rim or backboard. Players on the TCU bench slumped, while SU’s bench brimmed with optimism. Dixon, the TCU head coach, resorted to his seat. He leaned back and put his hands on his knee.

TCU’s season came to a close. But for Syracuse, it was more of a beginning.

Next up: Michigan State.

Published on March 17, 2018 at 12:19 am

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21