SMU spoils Syracuse’s redemption tour decisively, advance to third round of ACC tournament play 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs (23-9, 13-7 ACC), spoiled the redemption tour for Syracuse (14-19, 7-13 ACC), crushing the Orange in a decisive 73-53 victory in the second round of the ACC Tournament. 

While the Mustangs trailed in their first matchup against Syracuse for over 35 minutes, they led the Orange for over 26 minutes in this game, including the entire second half.  Syracuse got off to the hot start they needed to, JJ Starling making his first three shots of the night.  The Orange would make five of their first seven field goal attempts as a team, holding the lead for the first eight minutes of gameplay.   

But SMU would respond, making four of their next five shots and holding Syracuse scoreless over a three-minute span, taking a 12-11 lead with 12:05 remaining in the first half.  SU and SMU would go on to trade baskets & points at the free throw line for the next seven minutes, the lead changing hands five times in that span. 

The Mustangs would then take the lead 22-21 over the Orange off a Chuck Harris triple, who scored 12 points on the night shooting 3-5 from beyond the arc.  Once SMU took the lead, they did not let it go for the rest of the game, as things on offense and defense began to click for the Mustangs.  They would pull out to their biggest lead of the night up to that point of nine points off two straight triples from Kario Oquendo, his only baskets of the evening in his 8-point performance.   

The Orange would hang around before the break, responding to SMU’s triples with two of their own in back-to-back possessions from JJ Starling and Jyare Davis.  SMU would lead Syracuse at the half 31-28. 

The Orange started the second half sloppy on offense, going 0-5 from the field and committing four turnovers in the first five and a half minutes, including back-to-back turnovers from Starling.  The Mustangs would go on a 10-0 run in that span, extending their lead over Syracuse 41-28.  

Two quick baskets from Jyare Davis helped cut the SMU lead to eight with 14:00 left to play.  However, after a tip-in by SMU’s Matt Cross on the ensuing possession, the Mustangs would retain their double digit lead the rest of the way.  They heated up down the stretch, making their last seven shots of the game in route to a 73-53 victory over the Orange. 

Syracuse had moments where their defense kept them in the game, forcing 15 SMU turnovers.  However, the Mustangs’ defense was even more suffocating throughout the night.  They would also force 15 turnovers and contest nearly every drive SU had to the basket, forcing seven missed layups from the Orange.  Once SMU found their stride in the second half, they did not let go of their opportunity to pull away with the lead when given the chance. 

“We were also aware that they had a game yesterday,” said SMU guard Chuck Harris, “and I think in the second half, we went up 10, and the guys kind of huddled up and just said, this is the time to put the foot on the gas and keep it that way. And we ended up running away with it at the end.” 

The Mustang players praised Coach Andy Enfield for putting together an effective game plan to stop Eddie Lampkin. They were able to execute it, holding Lampkin to 5 points on 1-2 FG in the game.

Coach Enfield recognized SMU’s need to stop Lampkin, saying, “We double-teamed every time he touched the ball. He’s had an outstanding second half of the ACC season. He’s a very good player, and we certainly respect him. And so we try to get the ball out of his hands, make him pass. Forced him on our double-teams. I thought we did a great job of forcing some turnovers and deflections. We got a few steals on tipped balls and just tried to prevent him from getting a lot of shot attempts.”  

Their defensive effort against Lampkin stifled Syracuse’s offense the whole game, which Coach Adrian Autry took note of following the loss.

“We couldn’t really get the ball inside to Eddie like we usually do, and he’s a big part of what we do,” said Coach Autry, “and when we can’t get the ball into him, we struggle.” 

Despite Syracuse’s disappointing season coming to an end Wednesday night, there was high praise from the seniors, who really enjoyed their time in the Orange uniform.

“It’s an amazing school, amazing program. We’ve got a good coach, amazing teammates, and I’d just say it was a blessing. I wouldn’t want be nowhere else,” said Eddie Lampkin when asked to sum up his experience this season. “We didn’t play our best during the season, but these are my brothers I’ll remember for the rest of my life. We’ve got good relationships, and that’s all you can ask for. It’s Syracuse, so I loved it.” 

Senior transfer Jaquan Carlos doubled down on the brotherhood, saying, “I feel like we didn’t play the way we wanted, but if I could do it all again, I wouldn’t choose nowhere else. Coach Red, we wanted to do it all for him,”  

Carlos added, “We know all the pressure we’ve been handling all season. We’ve been doubted all year. Nobody really turned on each other, pointing fingers. We all tried to stick together and get it done. So the experience of being here just watching Syracuse growing up is always a dream and just being a part of it and saying that I could play with this name across my chest, was something very big, and I just tried to go my hardest every time.” 

When asked about things Syracuse could build on for next season from the hardships of this season, Coach Autry declined to comment, stating, “To be able to kind of talk about it right now, I wouldn’t be able to give you a really good answer.” 

As SMU’s season continues, the Mustangs are confident in their ability to knock off Clemson in the next round of play. 

“Yeah, we played them before with one of our guys sitting down, and it was still a close game,” said SMU forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton, “So I feel like going into this game, we know what we need to work on. We know the things we need to fix. And now having our point guard back (Boopie Miller), it’s going to be a different ballgame, again, that we see coming to our side.” 

Coach Enfield, however, does recognize the formidableness of their next opponent, sharing their need to play hard, especially with Boopie Miller back in the lineup. 

“To be 18-2 in the league and not win the league is really amazing. But they deserve their ranking nationally. They’re very experienced, very physical,” said Coach Enfield, “We didn’t have Boopie when we played them at home, so hopefully, that will make a little bit of difference with our speed and play making. But we have to come out and play outstanding defense all night for 40 minutes to have a chance to beat them.”

The sixth-seeded SMU Mustangs will face the second-seeded and 10th ranked Clemson Tigers (26-5, 18-2 ACC), in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament.  Tipoff is set to begin tonight at 9:30pm on ESPN2. 

  

Syracuse advances to Round 2 of the ACC Tournament with 66-62 victory over Florida State

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Syracuse Men’s Basketball (14-18, 7-13 ACC) avenged themselves from a 16-point loss to Florida State (17-15, 8-12 ACC) earlier this season, the Orange hanging on in the Spectrum Center until the very end to secure a 66-62 victory over the Seminoles in the first round of the ACC Tournament. 

One way you could describe this game: streaky.  The Orange started off red hot making seven of their first 10 field goals, taking a 17-10 lead seven minutes into the first half.  However, the Orange went ice cold, shooting 2-18 from the field over the next 10 minutes.  Florida State would cut Syracuse’s lead to two points with an empathic alley-oop from Jamir Watkins, the Orange up 27-25 with 2:25 remaining in the first.  SU would maintain the lead going into the half, making three of their last 4 shots, including layups on back-to-back possessions from Eddie Lampkin.  Syracuse led Florida State at the break 30-26. 

The streakiness would continue in the second half, Syracuse going on a 10-0 run in 3:11 of gameplay to take a 50-34 lead with 13:15 remaining, capping it off with a slam dunk by Naheem McLeod, his only basket of the game.  Florida State went on to match the Orange with a 10-0 run of their own, cutting the lead to six with 8:45 left to play.  In that 5-minute stretch, SU would shoot 1-8, missing five in a row and turning the ball over three times.  But JJ Starling would turn up the heat when it mattered most, finishing the game making Syracuse’s last three baskets on contested layups.  Though Florida State would cut SU’s lead to one point with :09 left, Kyle Cuffe Jr. & Jyare Davis would make both of their late-game free throws to put Syracuse up by four.  The Orange would hang on to beat the Seminoles 66-62. 

Syracuse guard JJ Starling led all scorers with 27 points, shooting 12-23 from the field.  Eddie Lampkin & Jyare Davis would both finish with 14 points apiece, as well as 9 and 6 rebounds respectively.  Though the Orange did struggle at times throughout, going scoreless for over 6 minutes in the second half, they fought until the very end to secure the win. 

“It comes down to being mentally tough,” said Jyare Davis when asked about finishing the game and locking in despite the second-half scoring drought.  “We’ve been in a lot of crazy situations this year, a lot of tough situations.  I think all the situations have helped shape us into the team we are now.  When that rough stretch came, I don’t think anybody on our team batted an eye. We all continued to keep fighting and staying together.” 

Eddie Lampkin chimed in, attributing Syracuse’s defense to helping them through the drought, saying “As long as we were still getting stops, we were still in the game.  For me, it really doesn’t matter if we’re not scoring.  We could go on not scoring for a couple possessions.  We’ve still got to take advantage of the defensive side and don’t let your offense stop your defense.”  

That defensive performance Lampkin referred to was crucial for SU, allowing 28 less points for FSU in this matchup than in their first game this season, a 90-74 loss to the Seminoles.  While Florida State ended the first game shooting 53.6% from the field and 38.9% from three, the Orange put a clamp on their scoring efforts this time around, FSU ended this game shooting 40.4% from the field and 20.0% from three. 

The Syracuse Orange look to continue this defensive prowess in their next matchup in the Spectrum Center as they face the 6th seeded SMU Mustangs (22-9, 13-7 ACC) in the second round of the ACC Tournament tonight at 9:30pm. 

Syracuse All-ACC Honorable Mentions star on biggest stage yet.

On Monday, the day Syracuse would be practicing for the matchup against the Seminoles when the ACC had announced their All ACC Men’s Basketball team awards. While no Syracuse players made the first, second, or third team honors both Eddie Lampkin and JJ Starling were named as honorable mentions.

Marching into this game Syracuse had won against the Virginia Cavaliers 84-70. Eddie Lampkin would lead The Orange that game with 25 points and 10 rebounds but the most prolific scorer on the team had found himself on an off night. JJ Starling only logged in 7 pts against Virginia. Before that, he would have 10 points against Southern Methodist University, and 16 against Virginia Tech in an overtime thriller.

At the start of March, JJ Starling averaged 11 points per game a noticeable difference from his 17 points per game he averaged during the season. While March only gave the fandom a three-game sample size of what Starling could do. It would ease some of the nerves of The Orange faithful if Syracuse would have gone into the tournament with a hot hand. Instead, the Orange would drop two of the last three before winning the regular season finale against Virginia.

There is no doubt that Coach Leonard Hamilton had already devised a defensive scheme to neutralize Syracuse’s best offensive threats. Syracuse also had learned from their first matchup against Florida State back in January on how to counter Florida’s defense.

Unlike their matchup in January Syracuse’s double-double machine, Eddie Lampkin came out of the gates firing. In the first eight minutes, Lampkin would go three for three in the paint muscling through any defender around him.

“…And just how they claim I had five offensive rebounds, nobody else was just going every time, and I was just going every time, and it was just opening,”- Eddie Lampkin on how his team pursues offensive rebounds.

Every time the ball had hit the rim Lampkin would outmuscle, hustle, or tussle any nearby defenders to get his squad some extra second-chance points. In the first eight minutes, Lampkin would have more points than he would have in total the first time Syracuse would matchup against Florida State. It can’t be overlooked was the team’s effort to crash the glass on offensive boards and box out for defensive rebounds. The team out-rebounded the Seminoles 22 to 17. Eddie Lampkin would head into the half with 12 points and 6 rebounds. 4 of which being offensive rebounds.

The paint dominance for Syracuse would cause an adjustment by coach Hamilton at half and that adjustment would kick start Syracuse’s leading scorer.

“… I thought he did a really good job and I thought our guys did a really good job of screening for him, getting him an advantage. And I thought he did a phenomenal job of getting in the lane and putting pressure on the rim. That’s how we need him to play in those situations, and I just thought he stepped up big today.”-Coached Adrian Autry on JJ Starling stepping up when FSU had shut down the post scoring.

Coach Hamilton had committed to shutting down the post dominance that Syracuse had exhibited in the first half by blitzing Lampkin whenever the ball had hit his fingertips. A decision that was understandable because Lampkin only had missed one shot in the first half. But that decision would ultimately give Starling the freedom to play off of pick and rolls, off-ball screens, and isolation. Starling had finished with 8 points in the first half and would erupt for 19 points in the second half. The team’s dominant interior offense had allowed Starling to get any shot in the second half. In the last 3 minutes that confidence would fully be on display as the ACC honorable mention would score 6 points and be the only Syracuse player to record a field goal in the last 3 minutes.

The game would be sealed by Kyle Cuff Jr., who would hit 2 clutch free throws to give the Cuse a 3-point lead that Florida State wouldn’t be able to overcome.

On the biggest stage of the season both of Syracuse All-ACC honorable mentions proved to the spectators unfamiliar with the game why they had received votes to be included in one of the three All-ACC teams. Syracuse will be having a rematch with SMU on Wednesday based on this recent performance by the team and the heartbreaking loss they experienced at the start of March. This next game against SMU may be a jaw-dropper.

Syracuse Rematch Against SMU Ends In Frustrating Fashion

Syracuse earned an opportunity to rematch Southern Methodist University after beating Florida State in the first round of the ACC tournament. Coming into this matchup, Syracuse was riding a great offensive showcase by JJ Starling and an efficient day by Eddie Lampkin. Syracuse would start the game off with some high energy, and that showed as JJ Starling would nail a corner three to start the game.

From that point on Syracuse showed more energy than a power plant and that energy would be converted to hustle plays. One of those hustle plays came from Eddie Lampkin who would dive on the court to stop a potential turnover when the game was tied 19. But only two minutes later Lampkin would pick up his 2nd foul in the half forcing him to sit due to foul trouble. Naheem McLeod would come in for Lampkin and play extended minutes off the bench. McLeod would record two blocks in the last minute of the first half.

Syracuse was only down 3 at halftime. JJ Starling led the Orange in scoring with 11 points at the half while shooting 50% from the field in 19 minutes. Eddie Lampkin, on the other hand, dealt with constant double teams in the post and late foul trouble. Lampkin only attempted 2 shot attempts in the first half and finished with 2 points.

SMU defensively smothered Lampkin forcing the ball out of his hands and disrupting Syracuse’s offense.

“I was just trying to play the flow of the game. I never try to force anything. I tried to
read what they give me, and they was just everywhere, they were sending three people at me,” said Eddie Lampkin on not trying to force up shots.

SMU would tighten up their defense in the second half by blitzing Lampkin whenever he was in the post, flying at set shooter forcing turnovers and press the ball handler to mess with the timing of the Syracuse offense. It would all lead to Syracuse shooting 8 for 30 in the 2nd half and 2 for 14 from deep.

The combined struggles to score would become even more frustrating for Syracuse as SMU would shoot 85% on 2-point field goals and out-rebound The Orange 21 to 11. The only thing slowing the Mustangs down were their turnovers as they would have 11 in the second half alone.

“I thought the offense today, giving credit to SMU’s defense was the difference in the
game. They were physical. They pushed us out. They made our catches hard, and they pressured us, and we didn’t handle the pressures as well as we needed to, and I thought that was the difference,” said Coach Adrian Autry.

It would be 10 minutes in the 2nd Half before Lampkin would be able to even attempt another shot. The shot attempt didn’t count because it was deemed a foul on SMU. The Mustangs took away one of Syracuse’s best scoring options and would outscore Syracuse 42 to 25 in the second half. They would defeat Syracuse 73-53.

While the game obviously did not end the way he envisioned it Coach Autry didn’t shy away from saying how important the leadership from the seniors was for this team.

“I thought the senior leadership was huge. Again, the way they handled it, I was impressed. I was very impressed. They really came in every day to work, and just watching them interact with their teammates, constantly uplifting them, smiling, talking to them,” Coach Autry continued to say,“but through them experiencing what we did this year, staying together, I think that was very impactful, and those guys had a lot to do with it.”

Syracuse Pulls Off A Big Win For Their Senior Night Game Against UVA

SYRACUSE, N.Y- With the last home game in the JMA Wireless Dome for the season, and also senior night, Syracuse balled out and showed up to protect their home court. The Orange ended their regular season with a win Saturday night against Virginia 84-70.

After coming off of two road losses against Virginia Tech and SMU, it was crucial for the orange to end on a high note in their own territory.

Graduate forward Eddie Lampkin Jr. came out the gates hot with high intensity putting his number on the board. Lampkin Jr. had Syracuses eight of twelve points, just seven minutes into the game. There’s a reason he calls himself “the biggest” and the numbers surely do back that up. He ended the night as the leading scorer with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

“Big guys that can dribble and pass are typically the most challenging in college ball, it was difficult to guard him. We tried the best we could,” said UVA Head Coach Ron Sanchez.

Although a couple turnovers presented itself early into the game, the dominance was felt from Syracuses side with their effective passing skills resulting to a 59.6 % shooting from the field. In this game the offense was solid, but the defense is what really kept Syracuse ahead allowing such big point gaps.

“The first half was probably the best defense we have played all year,” said Head Coach Adrian Autry.

Syracuse ended their regular season record 13-18.

Next stop for the team is gearing up to take on the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina. The fight is still on for the orange.

Syracuse strengthen ACC Tournament hopes in win over NC State

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In a crucial game for the race to the ACC Tournament, the Syracuse Orange prevailed against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in dominant fashion 74-60 Wednesday night at the JMA Wireless Dome.

“I’m very, very proud of this group,” said Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry. “They have no quitting.”

After three consecutive losses and more than one week’s rest, the Orange needed to get back on track to have a chance at a postseason run and they did just that as they led from the opening tip.

Graduate student forward Eddie Lampkin Jr. set the tone early offensively and defensively as the Orange got out to a 13-3 lead in the first six minutes. Lampkin Jr. recorded his 12th double-double on the season with 14 points and 15 rebounds.

“I’ve been saying we’ve been needing to play 40 minutes and that’s what we did tonight,” Lampkin Jr. said.

Syracuse crashed the paint early and often offensively forcing Wolfpack senior forward Ben Middlebrooks into foul trouble.

The Orange defense stalemated NC State inside and forced the Wolfpack to settle for threes. This defensive game plan and effort led NC State to shoot 34% from the field and 30% from three.

On the other hand, Syracuse shot 58% from the field and 38% from three. This proved too much for the Wolfpack to overcome as junior guard JJ Starling scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half.

With this victory, Syracuse improves to 12-16 overall and 6-11 in the ACC.

Up next for the Orange is a Saturday road matchup against Virginia Tech as Syracuse will look to climb the ACC standings before the end of the regular season.

Eddie Lampkin Shines in Syracuse’s Loss to North Carolina

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – You can hear it in his voice, you can see it in his eyes, Eddie Lampkin is tired of losing. The fifth-year transfer from Colorado and TCU has scored more than 20 points and added at least ten boards in each of his last two games. Syracuse has lost both of them. The Orange (11-15, 5-10 ACC) fell 88-82 to the Tar Heels (15-11, 8-6 ACC) on Saturday, February 15.

Lampkin finished with a team-leading 26 points and 11 rebounds, but he is still looking for ways to improve in his final year of college basketball.

“Trying to cut down my turnovers, really that’s my main thing. I really don’t care about scoring the ball or getting rebounds, I do it to help my team win,” says Lampkin.

That unselfish attitude wasn’t enough on Saturday.

Syracuse junior J.J. Starling finished the first half with just two points after taking two early fouls. Syracuse’s offense stalled without their lead guard. The Orange only shot 40% from the field and 33.3% from three in the first half. Syracuse was also perfect, 3 of 3 from the foul line. Lampkin had nine points in the first half, while Syracuse senior and Raleigh native Lucas Taylor added 8 points. Taylor hit two threes in the first half and was a perfect 4 for 4 from the field on the night.

The Tar Heels shot 45% from the field and 46.7% from beyond the arc in the first half, but went only 3 of 6 from the free throw line. Former five-star recruit and Bronx native Ian Jackson set the tone early for North Carolina. The freshman stole the show, and the ball, right out from under Syracuse junior Chris Bell before racing down the court for an emphatic slam dunk. It was the start of a 7-2 run for UNC. Jackson had 16 points in the first half. He shot 6 of 9 from the field and 4 of 6 three-point land in the first half but missed two free throw attempts.

Syracuse headed to the locker room trailing 42-36 at halftime.

Starling came back with a vengeance in the second half. With his team now trailing 60-53, the Baldwinsville native scored seven straight points, capped by a three-point play to tie the game. Lampkin added 17 points on 5 of 7 shooting and went 7 of 8 from the foul line. The dynamic duo combined for 37 of the team’s 48 second half points. Syracuse shot 48.4% from the field in the second half and 89.5% from the line. However, the Orange shot 25% from beyond the arc and finished with just one made three in the half.

Fifth-year Jae’Lyn Withers gave the Tar Heels some breathing room later in the half. The former Louisville Cardinal hit a jumper and two layups with a free throw sandwiched between them to extend the lead from 65-64 to 72-64. Fellow fifth-year R.J. Davis, the last remaining member of the Iron Five that led the Tar Heels to a National Championship appearance in 2022, went 2 of 5 from the field, hitting two three-pointers and going 5 of 6 from the line. North Carolina shot 53.8% from the floor, hitting 46.2% of their three-point attempts, and improved to hit 70.6% of their foul shots.

Trailing 81-73, Syracuse went on a 9-1 run that included a three-point play by Starling to make it 82-80. North Carolina Sophomore Elliot Cadeau extended the lead back to four with a timely layup before the Tar Heels sealed the victory with clutch free throws from Davis and freshman Drake Powell.

North Carolina shot lights out against the Orange. They hit 49.2% of their shots and 46.4% from three-point land. The Tar Heels could have run away with it if not for their poor results at the free throw line, where they shot 65.3%.

Syracuse sunk just 43.9% of their shots from the field and 30.8% of their three-point attempts. The Orange shot 90.9% from the free throw line.

The last time UNC Head Coach Hubert Davis was in Syracuse, he was on the wrong side of an upset victory. The North Carolina coach says it had no impact on tonight’s game, but did offer high praise for Starling.

“He’s one of the better players, not only in our conference but in the country, and you can’t stop him. You’re just hoping you can defend him without fouling and not put him on the free throw line,” said Davis.

The fourth-year head coach also praised Withers for battling through adversity. The second-year UNC forward was poked in the eye during practice, before coming out and dropping 19 points; the most he’s scored as a Tar Heel and one short of his career high. Davis said it was Withers best game at North Carolina, and has a new strategy to motivate Withers in the future.

“I’m going to poke him in the eye on Monday.”

Syracuse Head Coach Adrian Autry praised Lampkin’s work ethic in an otherwise uneven performance for the Orange.

“He prepares and comes everyday, shows up, he works. He had some issues earlier, you know? For a good middle part of the season, but he kept working,” said Autry.

Syracuse is back in action on Tuesday, February 18, when they travel to Petersen Events Center to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers (15-10, 6-8 ACC). Syracuse lost their first meeting against Pittsburgh 77-73 on Saturday, January 23. The Orange need every win they can scrounge up as they struggle to secure an ACC Tournament bid. Lampkin believes the Orange have what it takes.

“Just compete for 40 minutes and just take advantage of what they give us and be more aggressive and I need to play more aggressive. And just get on the glass and just box out and try to win,” says Lampkin.

Syracuse Prevails Over Boston College in Triple OT Thriller.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — After 14 missed free throws and three overtimes, Syracuse completed the season-series sweep and captured their 60th win in program history against Boston College, winning 95-86 at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday, Feb. 8.

The Orange (11-13, 5-8 ACC) have won 14 of the last 16 meetings, while the Eagles are winless at the Dome since 2014.

Both teams traded baskets in the first half, with eight lead changes. Syracuse finished the half on a 9-0 run to take a 34-27 lead. Freshman guard Elijah Moore scored 11 points in the half, shooting 4 of 6 from the field and 3 of 3 from behind the arc. Moore reached double figures for the first time since Dec. 21, when he scored 16 points at home against the University of Maryland.

The Orange shot 57% from the field and 60% from behind the arc in the second half, with help from Syracuse junior guard J.J. Starling, who scored half his 28 points in the second frame. Starling led the Orange in scoring. BC finished the half shooting 52% from the field and 42% from three. The Eagles (10-13, 2-10 ACC) went on a 7-0 run in the final two minutes to force overtime and outscored the Orange 40-33 in the second half. Eagles’ sophomore guard Fred Payne hit his second three with 1.2 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 67. Syracuse missed eight free throws in regulation.

Syracuse had a chance to win in regulation and the first and second overtimes, but they missed multiple free throws that would have given them the lead. In the second overtime, BC went on a 7-0 run to lead 83-76. The Orange stormed back and tied the game at 85. Syracuse held the Eagles, who haven’t won on the road this season, to only one point in the third overtime.

Despite shooting 18 of 32 from the charity stripe, the Orange picked up their fifth ACC win. Syracuse finished the game shooting 47% from the field and 37% from three. They had 52 points in the paint, 21 points from three-point land, 10 steals, 15 fast-break points, and grabbed 50 rebounds.

Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry said everyone who stepped on the court contributed.

“I’m just so proud of this team,” Autry said. “You know, they never wavered. They kept going. We were just making big plays.”

Starling has scored in double figures in 15 of his 17 games. He scored 28 points on 10 of 22 shooting from the field. He said it’s about playing with grit.

“I just learned that I can be a dog,” Starling said. “It’s all about making plays. I just got to do my job, whether it’s defense or offense.”

Eddie Lampkin, the grad transfer from Colorado, played nearly 50 minutes and captured his sixth double-double in ten games. He scored 14 points, shooting 6 of 12, and grabbed 18 rebounds.

Syracuse senior forward Jyare Davis also finished in double figures with 16 points. He was 6 of 10 from the field. Davis said everyone believed in each other.

“Nobody here was throwing in the towel,” Davis said. “We’re all still, you know, sticking together and fighting.”

Syracuse honored the 1974-1975 men’s basketball team at halftime, celebrating the 50th anniversary of their first Final Four appearance.

Syracuse will play the University of Miami at the Watsco Center in Miami, Florida, on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.

Syracuse Falls to Duke in Front of the Largest Crowd in College Basketball this Season

Syracuse, N.Y.- Syracuse basketball hosted Duke, on Wednesday night, in front of 23,313 fans.

In the first half, Syracuse kept the game within reach. With eight minutes to play, Naheem Mcleod converted on a layup to cut Duke’s lead to six. 

“I thought our guys came out in the first 14 minutes and competed,” Adrian Autry said. “Then I made a decision to go to zone and [Duke] rattled off nine.”

But the Blue Devil’s stifling defense was the difference as Duke led 37-23 at halftime. Syracuse’s 23 points are their second fewest in a half this season.

The second half was similar, as Duke controlled the game on both sides of the floor. In the end, the Blue Devils defeated the Orange 83-54. 

Syracuse struggled on the offensive end, shooting just 38% from the field. This was attributed to the Blue Devils’ hounding defense. Duke currently leads the conference in scoring defense, at 60 points per game.

“I think it’s their length when you talk about 6-foot-7 across the board,” Autry said. “They do a good job of making you work.” 

According to kenpom.com, Duke is second-best in the country in defensive efficiency. So while the Orange struggled to hit shots, it was not a self-inflicted wound. 

Although the Blue Devils dominated the Orange, Duke’s head coach Jon Scheyer said that he has a lot of respect for Syracuse and the rivalry. 

“[Syracuse] has one of the best brands in college basketball, and Red is a great coach,” Scheyer said. 

Syracuse will look to bounce back at home on Saturday in a key ACC matchup with Boston College. Tip-off is set for 3:15 p.m.

Syracuse Men’s Basketball Drops Close Game to Pitt

Syracuse men’s basketball lost for the second time this week, falling 77-73 to Pitt on Sunday at the JMA Wireless Dome.

The Orange started out fast, making their first five shots and jumping out to a 13-4 lead before the first media timeout. However, Syracuse’s shooting quickly dried up from there. The Orange went 8-25 (32%) from the field the rest of the half.

Pitt didn’t shoot well in the first half, going just 10-30 (33%) from the field and 2-9 (22%) from three. However, the Panthers got to the free throw line a lot, going 10-11 (91%) from the charity stripe in the first half. The Orange went into halftime up one.

Syracuse’s shooting woes continued in the second half. The Orange shot under 40% from the field, while Pitt went 18-31 (58%) in the half. Junior forward Guillermo Diaz Graham buried a 3-pointer to give the Panthers the lead early in the second half, and Syracuse couldn’t get even ever again. Every time the Orange got a bucket to make it close, Pitt would answer with a bucket of its own.

Graduate center Eddie Lampkin, Jr. had a career-high 23 rebounds. It was Syracuse’s first 20-rebound game since Jesse Edwards on March 4, 2023 vs. Wake Forest. Lampkin also had 10 points for his eighth double-double of the season and fifth in the last six games.

Despite Lampkin’s performance and winning the rebounding battle 48-31, Syracuse head coach Adrian “Red” Autry thought the Orange didn’t do enough on the glass.

“We didn’t get the rebounds we needed to get,” he said. “It’s very frustrating because it’s something that we work on.”

Syracuse (9-11, 3-6 ACC) looks to avoid its first three-game losing streak of the Autry era when it travels out west to play Stanford on Wednesday. Tipoff is set for 11 p.m. ET.

Second Half Rally Lifts the Orange to Victory over Notre Dame

Syracuse men’s basketball (9-9, 3-4 ACC) came from behind to defeat Notre Dame (8-10, 2-5 ACC) 77-69 at JMA Wireless Dome Saturday afternoon. A wild ending to the game saw Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry ejected from the contest. Syracuse would be awarded six free throws, hitting five of them to close with an eight-point victory. 

Syracuse found itself down by as much as 17 points in the first half, but the heroics of JJ Starling sparked a furious Syracuse run. The dome erupted after the Orange took their first lead of the game with under 4 minutes remaining, following an Eddie Lampkin bucket and a foul. Starling finished with a team high 21 points on 7 of 20 shooting. 

Notre Dame guard Marcus Burton was stellar in the contest, finishing with 28 points on 12 of 26 shooting. Syracuse went 8 of 24 from beyond the arc and shot 41% overall as a team. Notre Dame shot 42% as a team and went 5 of 14 from beyond the arc. 

Syracuse head coach Adrian “Red” Autry praised his team’s defensive intensity in the second half. “I’m just so proud of them. The way they defended. The way they were tough. The way they were resilient,” Autry said.

Syracuse avenged their road loss to Notre Dame earlier this year. 

In the first half, it was Notre Dame who came out of the gates scorching. The Fighting Irish opened the game on an 11-0 run, and Notre Dame guard Marcus Burton scored a spectacular 22 points in the first half on 10 of 16 shooting.

A 9-2 Orange run towards the end of the half cut a 17 point Fighting Irish lead down to single digits. Notre Dame carried a 42-33 lead into the half.

Notre Dame opened the game 15 of 23 shooting and outrebounded Syracuse 20 to 14 in the first half. The Fighting Irish outscored the Orange in the paint 18 to 6.

The orange hit the road to face the Clemson Tigers on January 22nd. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Syracuse Men’s Basketball Flattened by Louisville 85-61

Syracuse, NY – Syracuse men’s basketball was devoured at home Tuesday night vs the Louisville Cardinals, losing 85-61. The loss ends a brief two-game win streak for the Orange.

This game was very competitive through the first 15 minutes of the game. However, a late first half run from the Cardinals put them in control, and they didn’t look back.

After Syracuse brought the score to within four, Senior guard for Louisville Chucky Hepburn hit back-to-back threes, and then Louisville very quickly went on a 16-0 run to end the first half. The Orange were held scoreless in the final four and a half minutes.

“Just gotta keep working, trying to get better shots,” said coach Adrian Autry about the message to his team going into the second half.

The second half was evenly played, but a 16-point deficit at the end of the first half was too much for Syracuse to overcome.

Freshman sensation Donnie Freeman missed this game, his third straight that he has been out. This thrusted freshman Peter Majstorovic into playing more minutes than he has all season.

“I get in there and try to help my team the best way, and we didn’t do our best tonight, but we will improve for the next game,” said Majstorovic.

Majstorovic ended the game with four points, six rebounds, and a single assist.

Chucky Hepburn led all scorers with a game-high 24 points and a season-high in three-point field goals made with six.

The loss puts Syracuse at 8-9 on the season with a record of 2-4 in ACC play. The orange return to the floor on Saturday, January 18th, when they host Notre Dame, tip-off is set for 4 p.m. Syracuse will look to avenge a five-point loss they took at the hands of the Irish back in early December.

Syracuse Men’s Basketball gets first ACC win over Georgia Tech

Syracuse, N.Y. – After starting conference play with three losses, the Orange get an ACC win over Georgia Tech, 62-55.

“We get our first ACC win and it’s important for us and for the team,” Coach Autry said after the game. “We’ve dealt with different things and these guys keep fighting.”

Syracuse’s defense led the way in the first half by keeping the Yellow Jackets to under 30% from the floor and collecting four blocks as a unit. After the first 20 minutes, the Orange sat on top by one point, 25-24. 

“It was one of those old-school games, just tough to score,” Autry said. “But we battled, we kept battling.” 

Early in the second half, Georgia Tech took their first lead of the game from a free throw from Lance Terry, 30-29. Georgia Tech only held the lead for 57 seconds of the whole game. Terry led the Yellow Jackets in scoring with 18 points. 

Starling led the way in scoring for both teams with 21. Lucas Taylor started his second straight game for Syracuse and added 10 points. Lampkin was the only player for the Orange to score off the bench, also finishing with 10 points. 

Syracuse finished the game with a season high in blocks, six. JJ Starling, Eddie Lampkin Jr. and Petar Majstorovic each blocked two shots. 

“[Majstrorovic] does all of the dirty work. I think every team needs a guy like him. He reminds me a little bit of that guy we used to have, Marek Dolezaj.” Coach Autry praised the freshman, “No one knew about him, no one gave him a chance to play, and he just earned all his minutes and continues to earn his minutes.” 

Next, the Orange travel up to Chestnut Hill, MA for a matchup with Boston College on Saturday, January 11 at 3 p.m. 

Syracuse Men’s Basketball Closes Out the 2024 Year With a Loss to Wake Forest

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Syracuse men’s basketball was tripped up at home in the final game of 2024 vs Wake Forest, losing 81-71. This loss is the first at the JMA Wireless Dome for the Orange on the season.

 The visiting Demon Deacons came out red hot while the Orange were ice cold to start. Wake Forest went up 16-2 just four minutes into the game. This prompted Syracuse Head Coach Adrian Autry to go to his bench with his team in a big hole. 

“We were down 16-2, and it’s been a trend that we’ve been down,” Coach Autry said in response to going to the bench early.

This move thrusted Kyle Cuffe Jr. into more minutes than he had seen all year long, playing 36 minutes for the game. Cuffe was the spark that the Orange needed in the first half. He had 14 points and was very aggressive getting to the line nine times in the first half.

Syracuse was able to slowly work their way back into the game throughout the first half, as they cut the lead to two points, trailing just 36-34 after 20 minutes of play.

The Orange kept it close in the second half, even taking a six point lead at one point, but Wake Forest was too much for Syracuse to overcome. 

Turnovers hurt the Orange throughout the game, losing the ball 18 times compared to just 11 for Wake Forest.

“We shot ourselves in the foot,” coach Autry said. 

Syracuse returns to the floor for their first game of 2025 on January 4th at Florida State.

The Orange Get a Much Needed Win Heading Into Conference Play

Syracuse, NY – After Autry and the Orange’s tough 27-point loss to Maryland, Syracuse needed to close out its nonconference schedule with a win against Bucknell.

“How we came out the last game at first Maryland in Brooklyn, that was just pathetic. It wasn’t us,” said Jaquan Carlos. “That was all on us and today we kind of showed that this is what Syracuse Basketball is about.”

With a 75-63 win over Bucknell, the Orange improved to 6-6, putting their total nonconference wins at six this season.

Syracuse held a 12-point lead going into the second half, shooting 50% on three-pointers. In the first half, Lucas Taylor scored three of the Orange’s six three-pointers. However, those three-pointers did not continue to fall in the second half, with the team making just one.

“Just battle, just us going out there and competing, playing through and playing hard,” said Coach Autry. “The energy level was the way it needed to be, it wasn’t perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction.”

That energy carried the Orange through the game, as Eddie Lampkin was effective off the glass with seven rebounds and six points in the second half. Kyle Cuffe also gave life to the offense, posting seven points to extend the Orange’s lead and secure the win heading into conference play.

The Orange play again at the JMA Wireless Dome on Tuesday, December 31st, taking on Wake Forest. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

Syracuse falls to Georgetown 75-71 in their 100th meeting of all time.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – A rivalry that has transcended players, coaches, and conferences added a new chapter Saturday with a taste of the old ones, when Georgetown beat Syracuse, 75-71.

Headed to halftime tied at 37, Georgetown made defensive adjustments that caused problems for Syracuse. Up two, the Orange missed their last six field goal attempts over the final 4:12.

“The change in defenses was something that we definitely wanted to do,” said Georgetown’s Ed Cooley. “Ironically, to a zone. To a zone. Here at the ‘Cuse. Interesting. Interesting. I know Coach Boeheim was either clapping or cussing me out.”

For years, Syracuse relied on the 2-3 defensive zone. It led them to a 2003 National Championship, and multiple Final Four runs under Boeheim.

“That’s what changed the game,” said Jaquan Carlos. “We struggled a little bit attacking the zone. We’re supposed to be looking down more. We were settling and not taking good looks.”

Georgetown’s Jayden Epps led all scorers with 27, shooting an efficient 11 of 15 from the field. Lampkin Jr. led the Orange with 18.

Syracuse continued to shoot poorly from three, shooting 4 of 16.

“We didn’t make the shots that we needed to make that we normally make,” said Autry. “If we make a couple of those that’s the difference in the game.”

In the all-time series dating back to 1930, Syracuse still leads 54-46.

Syracuse will return to Brooklyn to face Maryland in the Gotham Classic on Saturday, December 21st at noon.

Freeman scores 24 points off bench to lead Syracuse over UAlbany

SYRACUSE, N.Y. –- After failing to make a single three-pointer in its previous game, Syracuse was in need to for anyone to step up and show some consistency behind the line. Last night, Donnie Freeman showed he could be that reliable shooter.

Freeman shot a perfect 4-4 behind the three-point line and put together one of his best offensive performances in a Syracuse uniform. Despite not starting, Freeman led the Orange with 24 points and recorded eight rebounds as Syracuse got its largest win of the season 102-85 over UAlbany on Tuesday.

Head coach Adrian Autry confirmed Freeman “wasn’t feeling well” and was a game-time decision before the tip-off.

The freshman forward entered the game at the 14:38 mark in the first half and quickly dunked for his first two points to spark an 8-0 Syracuse run that led the team to a 47-34 halftime lead.

“[Donnie] has it in him,” Autry said. “Our team hasn’t made threes yet. But I thought that was the difference today to get at least six of them.”

The Orange started the second half looking to put the game away. Freeman scored 18 points in the second half, and the Orange ran out to a 66-42 lead with 12 minutes left in the game.

“Whatever he has, he needs to keep that,” Autry chuckled after the game.

Jyare Davis took advantage of the Great Danes lack of size and finished with 15 points on a perfect 7-7 from the field. The Orange outscored the Great Danes in the paint 62-38. Meanwhile, Jaquan Carlos recorded 12 points and 12 assists, his first double-double of the season.

“It’s increased confidence and guys making shots,” Carlos said on his improved play. “We have been flowing better offensively now. Our coaches got the utmost confident in me and my teammates are confident in me.”

Syracuse turns its attention to Saturday when it hosts former Big East rival Georgetown at 2:30 p.m. for the 100th match-up all-time between the two teams.

Freshmen lead Syracuse to 44th consecutive win over Cornell

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Following back-to-back losses in The Legends Classic, The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team defeated Cornell in their return to The JMA Wireless Dome on Wednesday, Nov. 27.

This marked the 129th meeting between the two Central New York Schools who last met in December 2023. The Orange won 82-72 for their 44th consecutive victory over The Big Red and improved their record to 4-2.

Syracuse Freshman forward Donnie Freeman scored the team’s first points just four minutes in after trailing Cornell 10-0. Turnovers and fouls by The Big Red gave openings for The Orange to go on a 15-0 run and take the lead 39-28 at halftime.

In the second half, The Orange improved their field goal percentage, shooting from 37.5% to 50%. Freeman, along with fellow Freshmen Elijah Moore and Peter Majstorovic helped to keep Syracuse in front collecting a combined 24 rebounds.

Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry said their effort was the energy boost the team needed.

“We talked about their physical rebounding, going to the glass, attacking the basket,” Autry said.

Moore scored a career-high 19 points, 7 total rebounds and shot 5 of 7 from three-point range. He looks to continue to take advantage of every opportunity given to him.

“When I’m being put in these positions to do what I love and do what I do best, I just take advantage of it,” Moore said.

The Orange go on the road again next Tuesday, Dec. 3, to face No. 7 Tennessee in Knoxville at 7:30 p.m.

Syracuse Still Undefeated, Outlasts Youngstown State in Double Overtime 104-95.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. –– The Syracuse men’s basketball team improved to 3-0 with a 104-95 double overtime win over Youngstown State at the JMA Wireless Dome in their first-ever meeting on Saturday, Nov. 16.

The Orange struggled in the first half, shooting 12 of 34 from the field and 1 of 13 from behind the arc.

The Penguins led for 18 of the first 20 minutes, shot 50% from the field, and outscored Syracuse 38-31 in the first half.

Early in the second half, the Orange went on a 13-4 run to tie the game at 46. Syracuse finished the half shooting 58% from the field and 50% from three. Both teams traded baskets down the stretch, ending regulation tied at 73.

It took two overtimes to determine a winner. After the first overtime, the score was tied at 86. The game had 17 lead changes and the same number of tied scores. The Orange shot 73% from the field in overtime.

Syracuse junior guard J.J. Starling scored a career-high 38 points and played nearly 50 minutes. He shot 14 of 23 from the field.

Starling said it started with his teammates.

“They were telling me to just keep going. These are my brothers, and they fed me the confidence that I needed to step up big time,” Starling said.

Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry said Starling played a pivotal role in securing the victory.

“That’s the J.J. Starling we know. And again, he’s the guy for us. He’s important to us. And he was big-time. What a game for him,” Autry said.

Eddie Lampkin, the grad transfer from Colorado, finished the game with a double-double. He scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and shot 8 of 10 from the field.

Lampkin said the win sets the tone moving forward.

“We got grit. It shows we know how to fight, and we are not gonna quit,” Lampkin said.

Syracuse freshman forward Donnie Freeman also finished with a double-double, shooting 8 of 13 from the field. He had 19 points and 12 rebounds.

The Syracuse Orange will travel to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday, Nov. 21, for the Legends Classic, where they will take on the University of Texas at 7 p.m.

Syracuse slips by Colgate, Improves to 2-0 on Military Appreciation Night

SYRACUSE, NY -The Orange men’s basketball team survived another razor-thin contest at the JMA Wireless Dome Tuesday, defeating Colgate 74-72.

Orange center Eddie Lampkin Jr. led with 15 points, shooting 50% from the field including a big man 3-pointer, and 12 rebounds on the night. Meanwhile, starting guard JJ Starling scored 12 points – fouling out with 1:30 remaining in the game.

Syracuse, off the blocks quickly following a slim three-point lead at halftime, building a 13-point lead only for Colgate to pull within 1 with 9:50 remaining.

Orange defenders seemed to stand still in the face of speedy Colgate guard Jalen Cox – who made several dashes past any semblance of Syracuse defense for six points, in just over two minutes of play, late in the second half.

Three of the four missed Orange free throws in the game occurred in the last 18 seconds of play. Colgate took possession with just 4 seconds remaining, but starting guard Nicolas Louis-Jacques slipped in the corner while Orange fans watched the ball dribble out of bounds after time expired.

Since Colgate snapped a six-decade Orange winning streak in 2021, the teams are tied 2-2 with Syracuse victories combining for six points.

A close game on Military Appreciation Night at the Dome led Coach Adrian Autry to plant his flag early this season, kicking off his post-game press conference in a spirited mood.

“We are playing at a higher pace than people have seen in a long time here,” Autry said. “And talk about this – 45 rebounds – we haven’t had 45 rebounds in a long time.”

Autry identified two issues for his Orange team going forward, including allowing too many points in transition and a lack of production on offensive rebounds, but commended his team’s perseverance.

“This team had complete composure,” Autry said. “This is a good team, it’s a new team.”

The Orange face Youngstown State on Saturday at the Dome with a 1 p.m. tipoff and on ACC Network Extra.