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Syracuse men’s basketball’s defense leads the way in a 75-63 win over Bucknell

Syracuse guard Lucas Taylor (No. 3, white) shares a celebratory moment with forward Donnie Freeman (No. 1, white) during the game.
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Syracuse guard Lucas Taylor (No. 3, white) shares a celebratory moment with forward Donnie Freeman (No. 1, white) during the game.

Syracuse men’s basketball (6-6, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) leaned on its defense to close out nonconference play with a 75-63 victory over Bucknell (4-9, 0-0 Patriot League) Saturday afternoon. The Orange recorded a season-high 13 steals, setting the tone for their most complete defensive performance of the season. This would eclipse the seven they tallied in their season opener against Le Moyne.

After a slow start, Syracuse trailed 26-22 with just under six minutes left in the first half, and Orange flipped the script with a defensive surge. SU forced seven turnovers during a dominant 21-5 run to close the half, taking a 43-31 lead into the break.

“I thought it was the best defensive game we’ve had all year," Head Coach Adrian Autry said.

Bucknell shot just 38% from the field and committed 18 turnovers in the contest. Leading the charge was SU guard Jaquan Carlos, who not only dished out a game-high nine assists but also collected three steals. Center Eddie Lampkin Jr. and forward Donnie Freeman chipped in with two steals apiece to complement their dominant efforts on the boards. The duo combined for 33 points, while guard Lucas Taylor added nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc.

SU guard Jaquon Carlos (No. 5, white jersey) pushes the ball up the court during a fast break.
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SU guard Jaquon Carlos (No. 5, white jersey) pushes the ball up the court during a fast break.

“I feel like everybody brought it," said Syracuse guard Kyle Cuffe. "We brought it all week at practice coming off of Christmas. We locked in on defense, and knew that’s what we were going to do to win.”

SU turned Bucknell’s 18 turnovers into 20 points. The defensive stops also generated momentum on the glass, with the Orange outrebounding the Bison 43-27, including 15 offensive boards.

“We just battled and toughed it out,” Coach Autry added. “That’s all you can do.”

Syracuse holds a 6-6 record and now turns its attention to conference play. SU is set to host Wake Forest for its ACC home opener on Tuesday with game time at 2. Our coverage on 88.3 FM and waer.org starts with McClurg Remodeling Countdown to Tipoff at 1:30.