Syracuse 75, Bucknell 63: Orange finish nonconference play with strong shooting afternoon

Back to .500 before the ACC slate gets underway.

The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team (6-6) followed up a strong performance from the football squad with another treat this weekend as a balanced scoring attack allowed ‘Cuse to hold off the Bucknell Bison (4-9) Saturday afternoon inside the JMA Wireless Dome.

Six players for the Orange scored at least three baskets. Eddie Lampkin led the way for Syracuse with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Donnie Freeman (15 points and 10 rebounds) and Jaquan Carlos (11 points and 9 assists) also finished in double-figures. Syracuse also got some decent offensive production from Justin Taylor (9 points, 3/4 from three), Petar Majstorovic (9 points) and Kyle Cuffe Jr. (8 points).

Syracuse’s bench scoring (27-12) and general offensive efficiency (47% compared to 35% for Bucknell) helped the Orange stay ahead despite 21 turnovers and come away with a win to conclude this year’s nonconference slate.

After a trio of turnovers out of the gate, Lampkin scored a basket inside off an offensive rebound to put the Orange on the board. Turnovers and a 1/5 start from the floor allowed Bucknell to take an early lead before Lampkin responded with a hook shot heading into the first media timeout.

Cuffe and Taylor were the first Syracuse players to come off the bench. Coming out of the break, the Orange managed their first multi-possession lead. Taylor knocked down a three from the wing, Lampkin scored inside once again and Freeman finished an alley-oop layup off a pass from Taylor. That powered Syracuse to a 9-0 run and a 12-6 lead.

The Bisons responded with six straight points to tie the game back up, continuing to focus on attacking the rim especially with both Lampkin and Freeman picking up two early fouls. Two more Syracuse players responded with their first baskets — Chris Bell hit a moving mid-range jumper, followed by Majstorovic knocking down just his second three all year as the Orange went back up 17-12.

The three-ball started to go down for Bucknell as the Orange trailed once again with Josh Bascoe and Jayden Williams each hitting a triple. The game would end up tied at 21-21 with the first half winding down.

After a season with plenty of struggles from the outside, Syracuse had one its best three-point halves all season. Bucknell would end up going as much as four points after Elvin Edmonds IV drilled a three of his own, but the Orange would score 13 straight points thanks to two triples from Taylor, a pair of made baskets from Freeman plus an and-one layup from Lampkin.

Turnovers also plagued Bucknell a bit toward the end of the first half. Syracuse for arguably the first time all year went to a press coverage. Syracuse concluded the first half on a stronger note up going up as much as 12 points. Freeman closed the half particularly well with eight straight points, including this three-pointer with just seconds to go as the Orange went into halftime up 43-31:

Lampkin and Freeman both had 12 points each, while Taylor scored nine points all from the three-point line.

Bell made his second basket of the game just seconds coming back from halftime, but it was Bucknell who stayed within distance. Back-to-back triples from the Bisons led to the Orange’s lead trimmed to just six points (45-39) before Carlos responded with a running shot around the basket.

Syracuse began the second half shooting 2/11 from the field, which allowed the Bisons to get within five (48-43) at one point. Cuffe got the Orange’s offense going with three baskets coming all in different fashion — a crafty driving layup, a pull-up jumper from the baseline and a three-pointer to put ‘Cuse back up by double-digits

Bucknell also had a stretch where it missed nine of its next 10 shots, and this transition jumper from Carlos would put the Orange up 63-48 — the team’s largest lead so far.

Once again, Bucknell stayed within striking range. Bascoe hit consecutive threes to again cut the Orange’s lead down to single-digits (63-54). Moments later, Freeman and Pip Ajayi received offsetting technical fouls after Majstorovic converted another and-one for Syracuse. Bucknell continued to keep it close, now within eight points (67-59) with four minutes remaining.

That would end up being the closest the Bisons got to tying the game. Syracuse would go back up by double-digits and stay there for good.

The Orange return to the Dome for ACC play Tuesday at 2 p.m. when they host Wake Forest. That game will be broadcast on ESPN2.