BOSTON – The scouting report said nothing about hitting contested 3-pointers after dribble-handoffs. It certainly shed no light on high-arching floaters over lanky-armed power forwards.

So by the time Ohio State guard Lenzelle Smith Jr., who averages 6.1 points per game, finished putting on a scoring clinic, Syracuse assistant coach Gerry McNamara anointed him the difference maker.

‘That was the difference,’ McNamara said. ‘The difference was down the stretch, I thought we had some good defensive possessions and they hit tough shots. Smith hits a last-second 3, he hits a floater on the baseline – he made some difficult, tough shots.’

Smith finished with 18 points Saturday, including three 3-pointers to propel Ohio State to the Final Four with a 77-70 win over Syracuse in the Elite Eight. Seventy-five percent of his field goals came from beyond the 3-point line, and he shot 7-of-9 from the free-throw line to help carry the offense in the second half.

Minutes into the game, though, it appeared Smith’s role would be diminished after an inadvertent elbow to the face left him gushing blood along the baseline. He received three stitches above his right eye, which later became four after a revised sewing job following the game’s conclusion, and returned to the floor.

‘He was a little out of it the first half after getting hit and getting those stitches,’ Ohio State guard Aaron Craft said. ‘But he did a great job at halftime of kind of regrouping and sticking together, and he knocked down some big shots for us.’

Syracuse forward C.J. Fair said the scouting report on Smith indicated he could make open shots. Before Saturday’s game, he had scored in double figures only four times since Jan. 29.

But he built off his aggressiveness from the Buckeyes’ Sweet 16 win over Cincinnati on Thursday to attack the rim as well as knock down contested shots.

When Smith knocked down a big 3 from the right corner with 11:46 remaining in the game to put OSU up 50-44, head coach Thad Matta laughed on the sideline. He would find out later that Smith’s vision was impaired slightly from the hit to the head.

In the locker room after the game, Smith said he was in a considerable amount of pain despite the smile stretched across his face. Eighteen points on the biggest stage resulting in a trip to the Final Four should be the perfect medicine.

‘It was a blessing, I was blessed,’ Smith said. ‘I came and played with the glory of God and shot with confidence. He was with me tonight.’

Waiters struggles offensively in potential last game with Syracuse

Dion Waiters did not want to look up at the swarm. He avoided it as long as he could.

Towel draped over his face, Waiters kept his head down as the media filed into the Syracuse locker room. Waiters sat by his locker, then got up and walked around. He found a seat next to assistant coach Gerry McNamara.

The towel was still there.

Finally, as he was getting ready to depart, with a little more than two minutes left in media availability, Waiters addressed the swarm.

‘I didn’t want to go out like this, and I’m pretty sure everyone else didn’t want to go out like this,’ Waiters said. ‘It don’t feel right. It don’t feel right.’

The guard earned Big East Sixth Man of the Year honors and became Syracuse’s best offensive threat this season, but he had an off night in the Orange’s loss to the Buckeyes. In what could be his final game in a Syracuse uniform if he decides to go pro, he failed to ever find his rhythm, scoring nine points on just 2-of-8 shooting. He also battled foul trouble, eventually fouling out with 21 seconds left, and sat for those final seconds with, what else, a towel over his head.

Waiters was disheveled after the game, a stark contrast from his normal confident self.

‘I love these guys to death, man, and without them, I wouldn’t even know what to do,’ he said. ‘So I’m sad that it had to end like this and we had a great year.’

On Thursday, Waiters sparked a first-half run when he took the floor in the Sweet 16 against Wisconsin. His superlative play from the first three NCAA Tournament games stayed hidden against the Buckeyes.

He seemed to force things that weren’t there against a smart Ohio State defense. With Syracuse trailing 15-13, Waiters, who scored five points in his first seven minutes of play, tried to drive and decided to pick-and-pop from the left wing.

But the shot fell well short. It turned out to be his only 3-point attempt of the night.

Late in the game, with 4:19 left, Waiters entered for Scoop Jardine. After the game, head coach Jim Boeheim said Waiters has been SU’s best offensive player this season, and that’s why he was in the game.

He was not Syracuse’s best offensive player Saturday.

Waiters ran up the court with the ball with less than two minutes to play, but he lost control of his dribble as he drove inside the arc. The ball flew too far in front of him. As he tried to save it, he stepped on the line.

He did finish a conventional three-point play with 37 seconds to go, bringing SU within 70-67, but he fouled out shortly thereafter.

The first question Waiters faced after the game pertained to whether he would be back next season.

So did the second question.

Waiters declined to give a yes or a no.

Said Waiters: ‘I’m going to wait, sit down with my family and I’ll make my decision then.’

mjcohe02@syr.edu

mcooperj@syr.edu

Published on March 24, 2012 at 12:00 pm