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On Monday night against Richmond, Joe Girard III hit his shots — regardless of how difficult, or where he was on the court. Spinning layups, off-balance midrange attempts, 3-pointers that were catch-and-shoot, pull-ups or after curling off a screen. Even several feet behind the arc, Girard hit them. The senior finished with a career-high 31 points in an overtime win.
Girard said his performance Monday was “awesome.” Tuesday against St. John’s, not so much. He made only one of his 10 field-goal attempts, went 0-for-4 from 3-point range and missed the crucial front end of a one-and-one with Syracuse trailing late in overtime.
Syracuse (3-2, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) fell against St. John’s (6-0, Big East), 76-69, with Girard unable to find the stroke that lifted the Orange over the Spiders in its first game of the Empire Classic in Brooklyn. Girard’s struggles weren’t for a lack of open looks — he missed several 3s and floaters when he had space, including one wide-open look in the first half that he air balled by a couple feet. The Red Storm’s defense held him in check regardless, forcing Judah Mintz (20 points) and Jesse Edwards (18) to carry the brunt of SU’s offensive load.
“All my teammates really did a great job tonight, it was just me letting them down. I take responsibility for that,” Girard said postgame. “And just was a night that I’m not going to want to remember and wish I could have back.”
Girard, Mintz and Edwards are Syracuse’s three primary scoring options this season, but it was Girard who entered Tuesday as the team’s — and the Atlantic Coast Conference’s — leading scorer at over 21 points a game. He was incredibly efficient against Lehigh and Northeastern, notching a combined 40 points over just 52 minutes. Girard made at least four 3s in each of SU’s first four games, too, running off screens with more frequency as Mintz took his spot as the Orange’s primary ball handler.
St. John’s plays at one of the highest tempos nationally, per KenPom, and pressed Girard and Syracuse throughout the game. The Red Storm also incorporated 2-3 and matchup zone looks at various points, but still kept tight defense on Girard. SJU’s physical defense, which helped lead to 18 SU fre- throw attempts, also succeeded in slowing down Girard, the guard said.
“St. John’s is known for their defense. They do a really good job of hustling, pressing all game 94 feet, and they’re strong, physical guys,” Girard said. “You just have to be ready for that going into a game against a team like that.”
Girard generated some open jump shots for himself via pump fakes and crossovers, yet couldn’t convert. Other times, he had good chances to score in transition, but didn’t come close to finishing. Midway through the second half, Mounir Hima blocked Montez Mathis’ shot, and Girard caught the outlet pass with a one-on-one chance in front of him. He ended up spinning, losing control and throwing up a wild shot with his back to the basket. The attempt hit the backboard and bounced to St. John’s.
After stealing the ball from David Jones on the next possession, Girard had a chance to redeem himself on a 3-on-2 fast break. Instead of giving the ball up, Girard dribbled right before attempting an up-and-under layup that, again, wasn’t close.
“They did a great job on Joe, they made him take really tough shots, and some of the easy ones he got, he didn’t make,” head coach Jim Boeheim said.
And minutes later, after a Joel Soriano dunk put St. John’s up 58-54, Girard hoisted a 3-pointer several feet beyond the line that missed off the front rim. He’d hit that same shot, one that makes most coaches scratch their heads and throw up their hands, plenty of times during his career, including once against Richmond. But on a night when the easy shots wouldn’t fall, the excessively difficult ones sure wouldn’t, either.
Girard’s one made field goal didn’t come until four minutes into the second half. Benny Williams hauled in a defensive rebound and threw the ball ahead to Girard, who took one dribble before pulling up near the 3-point line for the transition jumper. He was inside the line, but the make still gave Syracuse a 10-point lead.
Girard stayed on the court for 38 of the game’s 45 minutes, and Boeheim drew up the last play of regulation for him with the score tied at 65. The plan was for Edwards to give the ball to Girard, Boeheim said, but “that didn’t happen.” St. John’s helped on every handoff and screen SU tried on the final play, Girard said, and there wasn’t a gap to get him the ball. Edwards ended up bringing the ball up court, only to pick up his dribble with time running out. The center passed to Symir Torrence, whose contested fadeaway jumper hit the back rim, leading to overtime. Syracuse never led in the extra period.
Girard committed one of SU’s four overtime turnovers, and his missed free throw with 1:45 left led to the Red Storm extending their lead to two possessions. It was fitting that the senior, one of Syracuse’s best free throw shooters ever, couldn’t convert on a one-and-one in one of the ugliest performances of his career Tuesday. Everything that found the bottom of the net against Richmond didn’t versus St. John’s, and the Orange couldn’t play a complete 40 minutes without the production of their best scorer.
“Joe was just not Joe tonight,” Boeheim said. “He just didn’t have it. And he’s got to be better.”
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