LISTEN: @Cuse_MBB beat @OregonMBB 83-63 to pick up its eighth non-conference victory this season. @EthanGFrank and @bespector had the call from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. pic.twitter.com/OHgUdkxrrP
— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) December 17, 2023
Syracuse men's basketball (8-3, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) overcame an early 10-point deficit to defeat Oregon (7-3, 0-0 Pacific-12 Conference) 83-63 at the Sanford Pentagon in its first game back after eight days.
Syracuse struggled to make shots in the first nine minutes, going 1-of-11 from the floor and 0-of-5 from three. Following that stretch, the Orange made six of seven field goals and three of four three-pointers.
“We’ve started games slow, but we feel like a veteran team now because of the teams that we have played,” head coach Adrian Autry said. “We’ve been in all sorts of situations.”
Sophomore Quadir Copeland notched a career-best 15 points and contributed nine rebounds, five assists, a block with a steal. He continues to be the "glue guy" for this SU team, having scored 14 points in the last victory over Georgetown.
“Quadir is a really good player,” Autry said. “He’s just as talented as anybody we have in this program. He’s growing and he’s versatile.”
44 of the team's points were scored by the bench, which was led by Copeland (15), forward Maliq Brown (13), and guard Kyle Cuffe Jr. (8). It matched the season-high point total scored by Syracuse’s reserves, which was also 44 versus Chaminade in Honolulu back in November.
The sophomore backcourt duo of Judah Mintz and J.J. Starling continued to grow as a unit, putting up 18 and 14 points, respectively.
LISTEN: @Cuse_MBB sophomore J.J. Starling knocked down a three for his first field goal of the afternoon. @EthanGFrank had the call as SU surged for a halftime lead.
— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) December 17, 2023
🎙️@waer883, https://t.co/BG0Q3sGq3P pic.twitter.com/JhKkSLJrBd
SU stepped up their defense and throughout the last two games, have shown signs of improvement. Oregon was only able to shoot 36% overall and 15% from beyond the arc. The Orange forced 19 turnovers.
“Our defense made a big jump today,” Autry said. I thought we played our best game on both ends of the floor this year.”
Overall, the Orange out-rebounded the Ducks 36-31, scored 50 points in the paint, and added 23 points off those turnovers.
Syracuse returns home for the first time in over two weeks to face Niagara (3-6, 0-2 MAAC) on Thursday in the JMA Wireless Dome. Game time is set for 5 p.m. and WAER's coverage begins at 4:30 p.m. with McClurg Remodeling Countdown to Tipoff.
