DETROIT — For a little more than four minutes, Syracuse didn’t know where its next bucket was coming from. It was the second half of Wednesday’s First Four game against Arizona State, and the Orange offense was in another one of its ruts.

It’s an issue that’s plagued SU all year. There are times when it seems impossible for the Orange to score.

Which is what makes Tyus Battle’s performance at the end of games this year all the more impressive. Because most of the time, it seems impossible that he’ll miss.

“I could swing the ball to Tyus, I know he’ll make something happen,” junior point guard Frank Howard said. “That’s just the special ability he has, guys like Devo (Eric Devendorf), coach G-Mac (Gerry McNamara). They had that special shot-making ability. I think he’s just following their footsteps.”

No. 11 seed Syracuse (21-13, 8-10 Atlantic Coast) has won most of its games on the back of its defense, and that’s the formula it’ll have to continue using. It doesn’t have the luxury of an offense to carry it. But if the Orange can keep it close enough to need one big shot against No. 6 TCU (21-11, 9-9 Big 12), it should — and it will — give Battle the ball, just like it did on Wednesday night when he unleashed a wicked crossover into a stepback, go-ahead 3-pointer with two minutes left against ASU.

“He’s made it all year,” head coach Jim Boeheim said after the win over the Sun Devils. “In end-of-game situations where we’ve needed a shot, he’s made the step-back. It’s been good for him.”

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Battle doesn’t remember when exactly he drilled his first big shot. He was either nine or 10, and it happened in some recreational league. Throughout four years of high school, he was also that guy.

Those moments have continued at Syracuse. Howard remembers Battle’s first big shot in a Syracuse jersey as his game-winner at Clemson last year, a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the corner right in front of the SU bench.

His first big one this season came against Maryland, when Battle hit a 3-pointer from the far corner with one minute to go to give SU the lead for good. Then there was the game at Georgetown, when Battle hit a 3 to cut the deficit to two points with 1:30 left in regulation before hitting two more in overtime and shushing the crowd.

“Just over the years, being in those situations,” Battle said, “having the ball in my hand, last-second shots like that, I’ve just become comfortable with it.”

Battle’s one break was last season. Although he hit the shot against Clemson, it was usually John Gillon who had the ball in his hands late and attempted some of the biggest shots late, like the ones he made against N.C. State and Duke and the one he missed against Miami in the ACC Tournament. But Battle said he didn’t mind that and is just happy when the ball goes in late, regardless of who shot it.

There have been times this year where he’s been forced to give it up, like against FSU. Battle hit a leaning 3-pointer to send the game into overtime. Then, with 10 seconds left in overtime, FSU started bringing a double team toward him, so he threw a bounce pass over to Oshae Brissett, who missed a 3-pointer.

Battle made the right basketball play in that instance — passing to a capable and open 3-point shooter ahead of the double team. But he admitted later on that there was a part of him that thought about just taking the shot himself.

And against ASU, Brissett was the hero for much of the night, racking up a game-high 23 points. But with the game in its most crucial point, and with Battle rising up to take that decisive 3-pointer after the crossover, Brissett knew what to do.

“Walk back on defense cause I know it’s going in,” Brissett said about his mindset when he saw Battle taking the shot. “He’s been hitting that all year. That left to right crossover is deadly, no one can stop that. We want to get him the ball in those situations because we know that’s the type of player that he is.”

So don’t be surprised if, for about 38 minutes on Friday night, it’s painful to watch Syracuse try and generate offense.

But if the game is still close, don’t be surprised when Tyus Battle knocks down the big one, either.

Tomer Langer is a senior staff writer for The Daily Orange where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at tdlanger@syr.edu or @tomer_langer.

Published on March 16, 2018 at 11:26 am

Contact Tomer: tdlanger@syr.edu | @tomer_langer