Syracuse basketball held off the Buffalo Bulls to open its basketball season after a strong first-half performance.
However, Syracuse’s second-half struggles allowed Buffalo to surge late in the game.
The story of the night was how Syracuse let Buffalo cut into a double-digit lead. The Orange committed 17 turnovers, and after leading by 12 at halftime, they saw the Bulls close the gap to four points with less than two minutes remaining.
Syracuse basketball head coach Adrian Autry said the team’s defensive lapses in the second half allowed Buffalo to mount a comeback. The Orange were still able to close out a win, 76-66.
“I was proud that these guys were in a first game like that and got challenged and pushed and pulled it together at the end,” Autry said. “Donnie (Freeman) stepped up and made some big free throws. We got the stops when we needed it. So, that’s a start…I would say it was gritty but it wasn’t pretty.”
Syracuse basketball started the game hot from the three, shooting 50% from the three-point line in the first half and finishing at 40% for the game. Forward, Tyler Betsey, led the Orange with 14 points and went a perfect 3-for-3 from deep.
Highly anticipated freshman, Kiyan Anthony, came off the bench and scored 10 points in his college debut. Anthony said his adjustment to the college game is improving as he gets more playing time.
“My first up and down, I was a little bit gassed. I’m not going to lie,” Anthony said. “I got out of the game and got back in, and I kinda got my wind under me and I felt like it was easier after that.”
After hitting a pair of threes in the second half, Anthony’s fiery reaction ignited the crowd.
“I know what I can do, I know the work I put in on and off the court,” Anthony said. “I feel like when it pays off like that, when I hit a couple of threes, it definitely fires me up…I know I can definitely do more and the team can do more so I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Transfer point guard Naithan George also impressed in his Syracuse basketball debut, finishing with nine points, seven rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block. His ability to keep the offense organized and involve his teammates led him to lead the team with a plus-minus of +12.
“Getting everyone involved is essential,” George said. “We got a lot of talented scorers, so getting them the ball or just letting them touch it is everything, so they can stay engaged, and it makes them play harder on defense.”
Moving forward, coach Autry said the team will focus on finishing layups, as the team shot seven for 19 on layups, playing better defense throughout the entirety of the game, and cutting down turnovers.
Syracuse basketball will host Pace University in their second exhibition game on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the JMA Wireless Dome.