The Barclays Center has not been kind to Syracuse men's basketball (5-6, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) as last weekend the Orange were smacked by Maryland with their third defeat in Brooklyn, 87-60.
The good news for the 'Cuse is that the team does not play in the Big Apple again this season, and Syracuse wraps up non-conference play versus a struggling Bucknell (4-8, 0-1 Patriot League) team that has lost six straight.
After the Orange's humiliating defeat to the Terrapins, forward Jyáre Davis had a simple message for how the group can get back on track.
"As a team we build and are confidence in each other and our self's and keep pushing to get better," Davis said immediately after the loss.
The Bison have gone winless in December, mainly due to their poor defense. The side has allowed opponents to average over 70 points a game. The 'Cuse has not been anything stellar, either. Syracuse has only allowed an opposition to under 70 points once this campaign. Yet the key against Bucknell may not be stats or X and O's; instead, it could simply come down to fight.
Caller Rich thinks @Cuse_MBB is no longer one of the premier programs in college basketball.@BurgessLuke03 agrees and attributes the failures to coaching.
— WAER Sports Talk (@WAERSportsTalk) December 21, 2024
📞: 315-443-2011
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After the most recent defeat, head coach Adrian Autry consistently reiterated a fighting message.
"We just didn't have that fight the times when we played here before we got down big to Texas we came back right back. Against Texas Tech same thing, even our last game against Georgetown we got down we came back," Autry said.
The headman is not the only one stressing the theme of the team lacking a certain amount of fight. Center Eddie Lampkin stressed a similar idea.
"Being able to compete for 40 minutes and not just try to compete 15 minutes, compete for 40 minutes from jump ball to the end," Lampkin said.
You’ve got to be kidding with this play! pic.twitter.com/AdjafLTpVI
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) December 22, 2024
Despite Bucknell's lackluster record, Syracuse has struggled to compete against lower completion this year. The Cuse went to double overtime against Youngstown State and barely got by Le Moyne and Colgate.
In eleven meetings, the Orange have only lost to the Bison once, the last encounter being four years ago, when the Orange came away with a 51-point victory.
Hear if Syracuse can deliver a similar performance and break its two-game losing streak on Saturday at 2 p.m. Tune into WAER at 1:30 for McClurg Remodeling Countdown to Tipoff.