Syracuse rides Buddy Boeheim and zone defense to upset of West Virginia

Yahoo Sports College reporter Pete Thamel takes you through 11-seed Sryacuse’s win over 3-seed West Virginia to earn a trip to the Sweet 16, and explains why no one should be surprised if the Orange’s run continues.

Video transcript

- Syracuse has made a surprise run to the Sweet 16 that really shouldn't be a surprise run at all. No program in college basketball sleepwalks through the regular season, sneaks into the tournament, and then advances more consistently than Jim Boeheim's Syracuse Orange. In the last six seasons, Syracuse has gone 56 and 52 in the ACC play and a 9 and 3 in the NCAA tournament. They have three Sweet 16s over that time. They have a Final Four appearance in 2016. And the magic of Syracuse's 2-3 zone appears again. Stifling West Virginia in the first half, holding them to 9 of 28 shooting early, forcing 11 turnovers, and creating just enough distance for Syracuse to hold on. Syracuse tried to give the game away in the final minute, turning the ball over multiple times after failing to break the press by throwing the ball time after time to the corner. But the Orange found away, thanks to Buddy Boeheim. Jim Boeheim is so diabolical, he actually created the ultimate player to come in and play his zone and keep the Orange going forward in the postseason. Buddy Boeheim had 25 points, he hit 6 of 13 from 3, and there may be no hotter player in the country than Buddy right now. In two games in the NCAA tournament, including Syracuse's blow out of San Diego State, Buddy Boeheim is 13 of 23 from 3-point range. In his last four games, he's averaging 28.2 points per game. Which means his 25 point outburst against West Virginia was actually his lowest scoring game of his last four. Syracuse is again back in the Sweet 16. And if they keep going to be Elite Eight, no one will be surprised. March magic percolates in that Syracuse zone, and we're all waiting to see if there will be a next victim. This is Pete Thamel for Yahoo Sports.