NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : SOUTHEAST REGIONAL : Orangemen Who Can’t Shoot Straight Beaten by Minnesota

Clockwork Orangemen, they weren’t. They didn’t shoot free throws. They didn’t get the ball to Derrick Coleman down the stretch. They didn’t take care of any of the details that should be as automatic as breathing.

Syracuse neglected the little things and the little team, turning the Minnesota Golden Gophers into the latest giant-killers in the wild and unruly NCAA basketball tournament.

Minnesota, fourth in the Big Ten Conference, seized the opportunity in a major way--the Gophers shot an astounding 79.2% in the second half--and upset second-seeded Syracuse, 82-75, in the semifinals of the Southeast Regional Friday.

With the victory, Minnesota (23-8) reached the NCAA’s final eight for the first time.

With the defeat, Syracuse (26-7) failed for the third consecutive year to return to the Final Four, where it left business unfinished in the 1987 final against Indiana.

In Friday’s game, the Orangemen were eight minutes from victory.

Then, Coleman disappeared.

Coleman, consensus All-American and potential No. 1 pick in the 1990 NBA draft, didn’t shoot during the final eight minutes.

That was enough time for sophomore center Tony Scott (scoring average: 5.5 points) to get off five shots and miss four of them, including a layup and a forced three-pointer, the latter coming with just under a minute to play and the Orangemen down, 76-73.

But Coleman, a 6-foot-10 senior with an 18.0 scoring average and 55.8% shooting, couldn’t find time to get off one shot.

Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim credited Minnesota’s double-team strategy, which consisted of 6-6 forward Richard Coffey fronting Coleman and waiting for help.

“They did about the same job most people do in trying to come back and double-team him, bump him and push him out,” Boeheim said. “It created some shot opportunities (for Scott), and I think Tony got some good shots for the game.”

But not his last shot.

Scott’s hurried slingshot barely kicked off the front of the rim and ricocheted into Minnesota hands. A quick foul of Gopher guard Kevin Lynch followed, and Lynch made both free throws for a 78-73 lead with 32 seconds left.

Another errant three-point shot, this by Syracuse freshman guard Michael Edwards, brought another Minnesota rebound, another foul and two more free throws by Gopher Walter Bond.

With 24 seconds left, Minnesota had an 80-73 lead and its trip to the final eight all but assured.

It was a stunning victory in many ways. Syracuse outrebounded Minnesota, 43-32, and had more offensive rebounds--24--than defensive. During one second-half stretch, the Orangemen took 11 shots in three possessions.

Syracuse also had more free-throw opportunities than Minnesota--20-19--but converted only eight of them. At one point, the Orangemen were four for 15 from the foul line. That’s 27%.

The Gophers made 13 free throws, good for 68%.

And then there was Minnesota’s shooting: 58.9% for the game, 79.2% for the second half. In the final 20 minutes, the Gophers attempted 24 shots and netted 19 of them.

“Seventh-nine percent,” Minnesota Coach Clem Haskins said as he stared at a stat sheet. “I would take that from the free-throw line.”

Friday, Boeheim would have taken 50% from the free-throw line.

But with Syracuse, there is nothing free about these throws. For the season, the Orangemen shot just 65.3% as a team, with two regulars, center LeRon Ellis (52.1%) and guard Stephen Thompson (50.2%), barely breaking even.

“There’s nothing we can do about it,” Boeheim said with a shrug. “We’ve been shooting it better lately, but we missed some big ones tonight.”

Such missed opportunities played right into the Gophers’ hands. Syracuse held Minnesota’s best player, Willie Burton, in check, limiting him to 12 points, but were burned by the Gophers’ backcourt. Lynch made seven of 10 shots for 18 points, and Melvin Newbern was nine for 15 for 20 points.

Reserve center Bob Martin added 10 points, sinking four of his five field-goal tries.

“We got strong leadership from everybody tonight,” Newbern said. “We’re not just one individual who has to do everything.”

Haskins marveled at the defensive accomplishment of Coffey, who gave away four inches to Coleman but didn’t give up a shot during the last eight minutes.

“I think Richard’s an NBA-caliber player,” Haskins said, “and the defensive job he did tonight proved that.”

That assignment is commonly known as denying your man the ball. Friday night, Coffey took it to preposterous extremes.