Before practice on Thursday, Jan. 17, Frank Howard fixed his eyes on the MacBook screen in front of him. He was watching a replay of Syracuse-Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. When SU led, 89-88, with just over two minutes left in overtime, Howard pounced on Alex O’Connell’s pass. He intercepted the ball and laid it in for two points, pushing SU’s lead to three.
Howard rewound the tape. As O’Connell dribbled on the wing, Howard stood at the top of the key, close to Duke star RJ Barrett. Howard recognized SU needed him to rebound in the paint.