Prolonged scoring droughts plague Syracuse in 77-68 loss to Clemson

Syracuse, N.Y. – The popular saying is that basketball is a game of runs. For this year’s Syracuse Orange, it’s a game of droughts.

Scoring droughts the size of the Sahara due to an offense that often becomes stagnant in the halfcourt.

Syracuse suffered through two prolonged dry spells in a 77-68 loss to Clemson on Saturday. The scoring droughts combined to put the Orange behind by 13 points in the first half and then scuttled Syracuse’s attempt at a comeback in the final minutes of the game.

“It’s us,’’ Syracuse coach Adrian Autry said of his team’s offensive breakdowns. “I think that’s what the most frustrating thing is. This game was us.’’

Syracuse’s first extended scoring drought allowed Clemson to pull away in the first half.

A Judah Mintz transition bucket had pulled Syracuse to within 13-12 with 12:48 left in the half. The Orange would not score for the next 6-plus minutes. In that time, Syracuse missed eight shots and turned the ball over three times as the Tigers went on a 14-0 run.

A Clemson run. A Syracuse drought. Toe-may-toe. Toe-mah-toe.

Syracuse finally scored on another fastbreak, this time on a Mintz lob to Quadir Copeland, but then endured four more empty possessions. That’s one bucket in a stretch of 16 trips down the court.

At halftime, Clemson led 37-24. The 24 points were the fewest in the first half of a game this season for the Orange.

“I don’t even know how many good shots we took in the first half,’’ Autry said. “Probably none.’’

Syracuse would battle back in the second half. The comeback didn’t happen in a single swoop. It was a grind, but the Orange eventually tied the game at 60-all on JJ Starling’s jumper with 3:33 remaining.

“In the second half, I thought we settled down,’’ Autry said. “They did a good job and battled back.’’

Then the ball stopped moving, a troubling sign all season for the Orange.

The drought didn’t last as long this time, but it was damaging because Clemson made…