In a thrilling showdown at the Carrier Dome, the Syracuse Orange claimed a hard-fought 72-69 triumph over the Miami Hurricanes, delighting the crowd of nearly 21,000 spectators. This win marks the ninth-straight home victory for the Orange this season, solidifying their unbeaten record on their home turf. Additionally, Syracuse added another meaningful triumph to their resume, as they secured a Quad 2/borderline Q1 win.

Tuesday's matchup against Pitt showcased the Orange's exceptional long-range shooting abilities, with the team converting an impressive 10 out of 17 three-point attempts. What made this feat even more remarkable was the fact that seven different Orange players contributed to this success.

However, despite Brandon Copeland sealing the game with a game-winning three-pointer, Syracuse encountered difficulties on the perimeter throughout the contest. In the first half, they struggled to find their rhythm, shooting just 6 out of 17 from beyond the arc. Unfortunately, these struggles persisted in the second half, with nearly two-thirds of their initial 39 shots being attempted from long range.

As Miami began to find their own rhythm from deep in the second half, Syracuse's assistant coach, Autry, swiftly adjusted the team's strategy. Recognizing the need to shift focus back to the interior game, the Orange started capitalizing on opportunities inside the paint. Quadir drew fouls to secure six points at the free-throw line, while Maliq Brown dominated the boards with nine rebounds on both ends of the court.

J.J., who had previously set a career high of 22 points against Louisville during his time with Notre Dame, replicated that remarkable performance by netting 6 out of 10 shots from three-point range and 8 out of 13 overall. While Miami's guards, Matt Cleveland and Nijel Pack, took turns leading the Hurricanes' scoring, J.J. displayed consistent brilliance throughout the game, with valuable support from teammate Judah Mintz.

The backcourt duo of J.J. and Judah proved their worth once again, affirming their status as a formidable force. Although Judah struggled to get to the free-throw line in this game, he compensated by delivering a career-high 13 assists, including setting up the decisive final shot.

With this tremendous display of resilience and determination, the Syracuse Orange have reestablished their position as a force to be reckoned with in college basketball. While it may be premature to predict another deep tournament run, one thing remains certain: Syracuse's team, led by Coach Red, never backs down. Regardless of the circumstances, if you're an Orange fan watching a game at the Dome, you can be assured of witnessing a thrilling and potentially improbable victory.

Looking back to two years ago, when Miami emerged victorious in their regular-season finale at Syracuse, it becomes evident that defeating the Orange is no small feat. Not only did they clinch the win that day, but they also ended Coach Jim Boeheim's streak of 45 consecutive winning seasons, a record that is unlikely to be surpassed in the future.