Charlotte, N.C. — The Syracuse Orange played its first basketball game in three seasons without shooting guard Tyus Battle. Against Pittsburgh in the second round of the ACC Tournament, Syracuse sat its junior guard in Battle who was nursing a sore back after a hard fall at Clemson on Saturday. The Orange struggled in the first half without him, only to flip the script in the second half by dismantling the Panthers for a third time this season by a final score of 73-59.
Pittsburgh came out aggressive from the tip and applied pressure in the half court but Syracuse was able to squeeze some early production from Frank Howard as he knocked down two 3s early for the Orange.