Syracuse Falls to Pittsburgh in Overtime Thriller, 71-69

Orange rally from 12-point deficit but come up short in final seconds

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Syracuse rallied back from a 12-point deficit in the second half, but ultimately fell to Pittsburgh 71-69 in overtime at the JMA Wireless Dome. The game came down to the final seconds, with Pitt's Nojus Indrusaitis credited with a game-winning basket on a goaltending call against Syracuse's William Kyle III with 4.3 seconds remaining in overtime.

Why it matters

This was a close, hard-fought game between two ACC rivals that came down to the wire. Syracuse's comeback effort showed their resilience, but they ultimately came up short against a Pitt team that has struggled this season. The loss drops the Orange to 15-16 overall and 6-12 in conference play, while Pitt improves to 12-19 and 4-13 in the ACC.

The details

Syracuse trailed by 12 points with 11 minutes left in regulation, but mounted a furious rally to tie the game at 52 on a Tyler Betsey 3-pointer. The game remained close the rest of the way, with neither team able to pull away. In overtime, the game came down to the final seconds, when Indrusaitis was credited with the game-winning basket on a goaltending call against Kyle. Syracuse had one final chance, but Naithan George's desperation heave at the buzzer fell short.

  • The game was played on March 8, 2026 at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York.
  • Syracuse trailed by 12 points with 11 minutes remaining in regulation.

The players

Naithan George

A Syracuse player who led all scorers with 26 points, including 4 three-pointers.

Donnie Freeman

A Syracuse player who recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Cameron Corhen

A Pittsburgh player who led the Panthers with 21 points.

Nojus Indrusaitis

A Pittsburgh player who was credited with the game-winning basket on a goaltending call in overtime.

William Kyle III

A Syracuse player who was called for the game-deciding goaltending violation in the final seconds of overtime.

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What they’re saying

“This was a tough loss, but I'm proud of the way our team fought back and made it a close game. We just came up a little short at the end.”

— Jim Boeheim, Syracuse Head Coach (Syracuse.com)

What’s next

Syracuse will now await their postseason fate, hoping to receive an invitation to a tournament despite their sub-.500 regular season record.

The takeaway

This game showcased the competitive spirit of both teams, as Syracuse mounted a furious comeback only to fall just short in overtime. While the loss is disappointing for the Orange, their resilience in the face of a large deficit demonstrates the team's potential and the close nature of ACC play this season.