Syracuse men’s basketball fell to Clemson, 86-72, on Wednesday night at Littlejohn Coliseum, dropping to 9-10 (3-5 ACC) on the season. Despite a standout performance from J.J. Starling, the Orange couldn’t overcome turnovers and defensive struggles.
Starling provided an early spark, scoring 17 first-half points on his way to a game-high 25, including five three-pointers. Syracuse started strong, holding a narrow lead midway through the first half, but Clemson’s 12-2 run gave the Tigers control. A late three by Starling cut the deficit to nine, but the Orange were held scoreless for the final five minutes of the half. Clemson capitalized with a 10-0 run, heading into halftime with a 48-29 lead.
The Tigers maintained their dominance in the second half, with the margin hovering around 20 points. Syracuse shot efficiently, hitting 54% from the field and 52% from three, but 14 turnovers led to 19 Clemson points. The Orange also struggled defensively, allowing 40 points in the paint and 56% shooting overall.
Eddie Lampkin contributed 14 points and nine rebounds, while Kyle Cuffe added nine off the bench. Chase Hunter led Clemson with 23 points.
GAME RECAP LINKS
- Syracuse outmatched in 86-72 loss to Clemson (DailyOrange.com)
- Starling Scores 25 in Orange Road Loss (Cuse.com)
- Clemson 86, Syracuse 72: Orange defense has no answers for Hunter, Tigers in loss (NunesMagician.com)
- Observations from SU’s loss to Clemson: 1st-half struggles, paint discrepancy (DailyOrange.com)
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
ADRIAN AUTRY’S POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].