Boeheim's Army wins Game 1 of TBT tournament vs Hall In
Boeheim's Army opened its TBT tournament best-of-three series with an 82-52 win over Seton Hall alumni side Hall In on Tuesday night at Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, New Jersey. Cole Swider scored 28 points, and the Syracuse alumni squad can clinch at home Thursday.
Key Takeaways
- Boeheim's Army rolled past Hall In 82-52 in Game 1 of The Basketball Tournament's opening series.
- Cole Swider led with 28 points; Kao Akobundu-Ehiogu added 17 points and 11 rebounds.
- Eric Devendorf returned to the court for his eighth TBT season after coaching last year.
- Game 2 is Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Oncenter in Syracuse, with a chance to advance.
What happened in Game 1 of the TBT tournament?
Syracuse fans tuned in to see former Orange standouts Buddy Boeheim, Cole Swider, and Elijah Hughes. Non-Syracuse talent set the tone early: former Memphis and UT Arlington big man Kao Akobundu-Ehiogu opened the scoring with a putback slam and dominated the paint.
After Boeheim's Army led 7-2, Hall In's Colby Rogers hit two threes for an 8-7 edge—the Pirates' only lead. Tyson Walker, a former Michigan State guard, threw a lob to Akobundu-Ehiogu and went coast-to-coast. Ty Nichols sparked another run as the Army built a 15-8 cushion.
Swider scored at the first-quarter buzzer, then keyed a second-quarter surge. Eric Devendorf drained an early second-quarter three, and Swider and Buddy Boeheim stretched the half-time lead. Swider closed the half with another buzzer jumper over KC Ndefo, finishing with 16 first-half points.
The Army led by 20 after three. Walker left with an injury early in the fourth. With a 29-point cushion, the Elam Ending target was set at 82. Swider reached 28 points, Akobundu-Ehiogu finished 17 and 11, and Nichols sealed it with a floater. Boeheim's Army shot 50.8% and held Hall In to 32.8%, per Yahoo Sports.
Who is on the Boeheim's Army roster for this TBT tournament run?
Devendorf, who played at Syracuse from 2005 to 2009, is a Boeheim's Army veteran in his eighth TBT year—and his first as a player since the 2021 title. He was on the coaching staff last season before Shaun Belbey asked him to lace up again.
"It feels like I'm a kid again," the 39-year-old said from the team hotel in New Jersey. Former coach Jim Boeheim told him simply: "you better be in shape." Devendorf joins five other SU alumni on the roster: Buddy and Jimmy Boeheim, Elijah Hughes, Cole Swider, and Wes Johnson.
Hall In played shorthanded without Isaiah Whitehead and Myles Cale. Boeheim's Army was without Wes Johnson, JaCorey Williams, and Chris McCullough for Game 1. For more sports-meets-innovation coverage, visit our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
When is Game 2, and why does it matter?
Game 2 is set for Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the Oncenter in Syracuse. Boeheim's Army is one win from advancing in the alumni bracket and has two home chances to close the series.
A convincing opener against a depleted Hall In roster puts the Army halfway through its first-round assignment. Fans can expect a louder Orange crowd as Syracuse alumni chase a series clincher on home hardwood.