Syracuse Basketball Drops Third Straight ACC Game: 3 Takeaways

Syracuse basketball made the long trip to Tallahassee, Florida in search of their first conference win of the season, only to be denied by Florida State.

The game began with a promising sign as Syracuse basketball’s leading scorer, JJ Starling, returned for the Orange with a taped left hand. Starling had seven early points in the back-and-forth first half. The first 20 minutes saw 12 lead changes, as neither team could grab a sizable advantage. At the end of the first half, the Seminoles led 36-34.

The second half looked much different for either side. If you solely looked at the field goal and three-point percentage for the Orange, you would have expected the final score to be much closer. Syracuse basketball hit seven threes in the second half on just 12 attempts. This is by far the best half of shooting for Syracuse all season. But in the end, the Seminoles pulled away late in the contest on their way to a 90-74 win, their first of conference play. This drops Syracuse basketball to 0-3 in ACC play for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. 

The Orange were led once again by Donnie Freeman and Chris Bell. Freeman notched his sixth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Bell did not start. However, he had looked much more comfortable on the court, with a team-high 18 points. For the Seminoles, it was a platoon-style offensive performance, led by Daquan Davis who had 18 points. 

Takeaway #1: Chris Bell

After an effective first two seasons with the Orange, before Saturday’s game, Chris Bell had gotten off to an extremely cold start. The junior played his best game of the season, as he went a perfect 4-4 from behind the arc. He also added a 6-7 performance from the free-throw line to bring his total to 18 points. 

While Bell has had some great nights, he has been very inconsistent. He began the season with four double-digit performances in the first five games. But for Bell, Saturday’s performance is just the third time since that opening stretch that he has scored in double figures. 

The Orange fan base has also been waiting for the junior to find his rhythm from behind the arc. Last season, Bell shot an effective 42% from behind the arc, and coming into Saturday he had shot a poor 21.5%. However, the sharpshooter may be finding his form after knocking down four triples against Florida State, which is a season-high. 

With JJ Starling’s return from his left hand injury, takes some of the pressure off of Bell from behind the arc. The Orange will need Bell to build off this momentum, to develop an effective scoring threat at every level of the offensive end. 

Takeaway #2: Syracuse basketball’s rotation

When JJ Starling was recovering from his left-hand injury, head coach Adrian Autry was forced to tinker with the starting lineup. To this point in the season, eight different players have made at least three starts this season. Even with Starling’s return, Lucas Taylor made his third start of the season against Florida State, following his 16-point performance in the loss to Wake Forest. 

A main focus for coach Autry going forward should be to nail down a consistent starting five. While Starling’s absence required tinkering, Autry has been reactive to great performances. For example, Taylor took Bell’s spot in the starting lineup. While this may be to re-energize the competitive nature of Chris Bell, Orange fans will likely see the junior back in the lineup for the next game. 

A glaring problem for the Orange has been inconsistency, but with a starting rotation that is constantly changing it makes it very difficult for players to find a true rhythm. But some players, like Kyle Cuffe Jr., have proven that they thrive coming off the bench, making it even more important that coach Autry recognizes these roles and nails down a consistent starting rotation. 

Takeaway #3: Florida State’s balance

Coming into Saturday’s game, Florida State was ranked inside the top 80 in the country in offensive and defensive efficiency. While giving up 74 points to Syracuse may not jump off the page, these stats are taken by scoring offense and defense, per 100 possessions. The Seminoles’ ability to defend the three-point line has been their primary focus on the defensive end, but the length and athleticism of their rotation also give them an advantage in filling the gaps in the defense. 

On the offensive end in Saturday’s win, Florida State had four players score 14 or more points and a total of 10 Seminoles made it into the scoring column. While the Seminoles have a primary scorer in Jamir Watkins, they also have seven players averaging over six points per game. This may be a result of their faster tempo, leading to more possessions on both sides of the ball. But being balanced in both offensive and defensive efficiency may prove that Florida State can be somewhat competitive in a conference that is experiencing widespread struggles. 

Next up for Syracuse (6-8, 0-3): vs. Georgia Tech (8-7, 2-2) – Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. EST

Next up for Florida State (10-4, 1-2): vs. Miami-Fla (4-10, 0-3) – Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. EST