PARADISE ISLAND, The Bahamas– Syracuse  basketball grew up this week.

The Orange no longer look like the same team that struggled against Lehigh, Elon and St. Bonaventure’s the first three games of the season at the Carrier Dome when they were searching for an identity.

They should find their way into the AP Top 25 after defeating Texas A & M, 74-67, to win the prestigious Battle 4 Atlantis here yesterday.

Michael Gbinije, a fifth-year senior transfer from Duke who was moved from small forward to point guard, scored 20 points and 4 assists and was selected MVP of the tournament. The Orange put three other players on its limited rotation in double figures to run its record to 6-0 after two consecutive victories over former Big East rival Connecticut and rising SEC power Texas A & M after an opening round blowout of UNC-Charlotte.

“We said we wanted some national recognition when we came down here,” the 6-7 Gbinije said. “And I think this week has really helped us. People are starting to notice.”

Freshman forward Malachi Richardson contributed 16 points for the Orange. Fifth-year senior guard Trevor Cooney had 15 points and 5 assists while 6-8 freshman forward Tyler Lydon came off the bench to add 13 points and 8 rebounds.

“I think this year has been good for us, we had tough games before we got down here and I think that helped us,” Boeheim said. “We know how to battle back from those situations and our guys just keep fighting away. I thought we had great contributions from everybody. I think Malachi started bad in both games but his second halves were really good, then Michael (Gbinije) and Trevor (Cooney) are doing what they have to do for us to win and they’re taking charge of the game.”

This may not be a vintage Syracuse team on paper. The Orange are thin everywhere and not healthy in the middle. Junior center DaJuan Coleman, who has been troubled by knee problems, played just 18 minutes against Texas A & M (6-1), putting Syracuse at a huge disadvantage on the boards against the deeper, taller Aggies, which outrebounded them, 39-31, and scored 38 points in the paint.  “We were just fighting for our lives down there. They’re a big, strong, physical team and we were just trying to scrape it out somehow,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. “I thought Tyler Lydon was good in there, but everyone went in there and battled. We’re going to get out rebounded most nights but we hung in there.”

Boeheim, who is scheduled to miss the first nine games of the ACC schedule as part of an NCAA probation that has cost his program scholarships, is doing all this with basically a six man rotation.

But Boeheim, to his credit, has unlocked the secret to success by playing a small lineup that relies heavily on four three point shooters who can effectively spread the floor for open shots or get to the line with relentless drives to the basket if designed motion plays break down. The Orange have made 25 threes and shot 63 free throws in the past two games, making the most of the new rules that limit contact four feet from the basket. They made 19 of 24 free throws against the Aggies.

“I think if teams play you man-to-man, you have to take advantage of getting to the basket – especially in late game situations,” Boeheim said.   You’re going to go to the basket, you’re going to get some charges sometimes in those situations. In the long run, you’re going to benefit more from going to the basket than not.”

Boeheim’s long term reliance on his sticky 2-3 zone has paid heavy dividends, too, allowing him to protect key players from foul trouble and taking away opposing teams ability to overwhelm them in the paint, limiting second shot opportunities and preventing them from getting to the line. The Aggies only shot 11 free throws.

And his team’s character helped the Orange rally back from second half deficits against both Connecticut and A @ M.

“Battle 4 Atlantis was a great tournament for us,” Boeheim said. “I don’t think we’ve ever gone to a tournament where we’ve been the underdog in two straight games. This might be one of our better wins. These guys really played hard and we had to play huge minutes three days in a row. Our players can do that, and these guys [Gbinije and Cooney] certainly stood up… we were better at the end of games, so it says a lot about their character and their toughness.”
The Orange were clutch when it counted. Texas A & M, which got 23 points from 6-7 forward Jalen Jones, looked like it was ready to blow the game open on several occasions, but Syracuse never let the game get out of control. Gbinije nailed a three point jumper to finally pry loose a 61-61 tie and the Orange blew the lead up to 71-62 after Cooney made a pair of free throws, then completed a three point play with 3:12 to play.

“We had trouble guarding in the second half, off the bounce,” A & M coach Billy Kennedy said. “Syracuse did a good job, had two fifth year seniors who played very good basketball. I thought our guys fought hard but we missed a lot of layups around the basket. The advantage we had was on the inside and we weren’t able to take advantage of it enough but it wasn’t because of a lack of effort. We had some cheap fouls. We got emotional and reached in. They shot 24 free throws, we shot 11 and that’s difference in the game. They made 19 free throws and we made seven.

“We’re disappointed. We came here to win the championship and I really believe we should have won, but Syracuse is really good, and you have to give them credit. We just have to keep getting better as a team. We have to play some zone, and I think our freshmen had some freshmen moments. It was a high-level game and it’s something we have to learn from.”