Syracuse, N.Y. ― It wasn’t easy, but the Syracuse Orange got a much-needed win to close out the non-conference schedule with a 75-63 victory over Bucknell on Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome.
Syracuse, which had lost four of its last five games, used a full-court press to help force 17 Bucknell turnovers and converted those opportunities into 20 points.
The win evened Syracuse’s record at 6-6 on the season. The Orange now enters the heart of ACC play, beginning with a home game against Wake Forest on Tuesday.
Bucknell lost its seventh game in a row and fell to 4-9 for the year.
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Eddie Lampkin finished with a double-double, scoring 18 points and hauling in 11 rebounds. Donnie Freeman also notched a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards for the Orange. Syracuse point guard Jaquan Carlos wound up just shy of his own double-double with 11 points and nine assists.
Meanwhile, Syracuse freshman Petar Majstorovic scrapped and hustled his way to a career-high nine points.
Bucknell guard Josh Bascoe led the Bison with 22 points.
Syracuse led for most of the game but never really dominated the Bison from the Patriot League. The Orange never seemed completely in sync in its halfcourt offense, making seven out of 23 3-pointers.
Syracuse trailed 26-22 with just over five minutes left in the first half, but the Orange took control with a 13-0 run. Lucas Taylor ignited the rally with a 3-pointer and then added another during the key spurt.
Taylor made three 3-pointers in the first half, equaling the number of 3s he had made in SU’s first 11 games this season.
Syracuse was able to go on its run by eliminating the turnovers that have plagued the Orange this season. Syracuse committed 10 turnovers in the first half, including four on its first six possessions of the game.
But once the Orange stopped turning the ball over, it was able to score against the Bison. Syracuse went inside to Lampkin, who had 12 points and seven rebounds in the first half and found Freeman everywhere on the court. In the first half, the 6-9 freshman scored off lobs, turnaround jumpers in the paint and twice from the 3-point line.
Syracuse coach Adrian Autry introduced the press as one major change in the Orange’s gameplan for Saturday’s game. Syracuse applied a 1-2-2 press after made free throws and most made field goals.
The Orange sped up the game, picked off eight steals in the first half and forced Bucknell into nine turnovers. Syracuse capitalized on the Bison’s miscues, scoring 15 points off the turnovers in the opening half.
After leading 43-31 at halftime, Syracuse struggled to start the second half. Syracuse missed nine of its first 11 field goal attempts in the second half.
The offensive struggles allowed Bucknell to quickly trim SU’s lead down to 48-43. Syracuse’s inability to make a shot also kept the Orange from setting up the full-court press that had provided a boost in the first half.
After Bucknell narrowed the margin to six points after halftime, Syracuse guard Kyle Cuffe Jr. provided a much-needed boost.
Cuffe scored seven points in just over a minute’s time. His 3-pointer from the top of the key gave Syracuse a 59-46 lead.
The Orange kept Bucknell at arm’s length from that point on. Syracuse held the Bison to 39% shooting for the game.
