Syracuse Basketball Pulls Off Overtime Victory Against No. 25 UNLV
In an exciting matchup on Friday night, Syracuse managed to secure a thrilling 44-41 victory over No. 25 UNLV in overtime. LeQuint Allen played a crucial role in the win, scoring the game-winning touchdown from a yard out after Caden Chittenden’s field goal briefly gave UNLV a lead in the extra period. This victory came just four days after UNLV had earned a spot in the AP Top 25 for the first time in the program’s history.
Syracuse’s quarterback, Kyle McCord, delivered an impressive performance, completing 40 of 63 passes for 355 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Meanwhile, LeQuint Allen had a standout game, rushing for 71 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to making nine catches for 58 yards and two more scores.
On the UNLV side, quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams put up a strong effort, completing 21 of 25 passes for 227 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Wide receiver Ricky White III also had a notable performance, recording 10 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown.
The game took an exciting turn towards the end of regulation when Syracuse, trailing by seven points with less than three minutes remaining, managed to drive 75 yards in 11 plays to tie the game. Jackson Meeks came up with a critical 6-yard touchdown catch with just 23 seconds left on the clock, sending the game into overtime.
The decision by UNLV to kneel on their first play of the final drive in regulation proved to be a pivotal moment, leading to the team’s first overtime game since 2021, when they suffered a triple-overtime loss to Eastern Washington.
Overall, the game was a thrilling and closely contested battle between two competitive teams, with Syracuse ultimately emerging victorious in a hard-fought overtime showdown. The win was a significant achievement for Syracuse, further solidifying their position as a strong contender in college basketball.
