In the first of two exhibitions to start the 2017-18 season, Syracuse beat Southern New Hampshire, a Division II program, 84-54, on Wednesday night inside the Carrier Dome. The Orange went down early, 13-8, but implemented a full-court defense to rip off a 22-0 first-half run and pull away from the Penmen. Nine days before the season opener, sophomore guard Tyus Battle led all players with 20 points. Freshman forward Oshae Brissett added 17.

Here are superlatives from the game.

The turning point: Tyus Battle’s dunk

A two-handed slam by Syracuse’s sophomore guard provided the lift the Orange needed. To dismiss a sloppy first nine and a half minutes, SU flashed full-court pressure. The first SNHU possession after the change resulted in a quick steal and dish to Battle, who slammed it with two hands to give SU a 15-13 lead. Syracuse rode the dunk amid a 22-0 run, part of a 33-8 explosion headed into the break.

Stud: Tyus Battle

Syracuse’s lone returning starter from last season was aggressive from the start. Battle commanded the SU offense early, finding his way into the lane and establishing his shot. He went 0-for-4 from 3 but went 8-for-9 from the charity stripe over 26 minutes of turnover-free basketball. On consecutive possessions in the second half, Battle drove and hit an open Howard Washington for 3.

Dud: Matthew Moyer

Moyer, a redshirt freshman, started at forward and finished with 10 rebounds. But he was slow to get to perimeter shooters on a couple of closeouts and had only five points across a team-high 28 minutes. He went 2-for-7 from the field and committed four fouls.

Highlight: Bourama Sidibe’s blocking

In his first unofficial game of college basketball, Sidibe drew immediate attention. He came off the bench to replace starter Paschal Chukwu, a junior, and racked up five blocks in nine minutes of first-half play. Sidibe blocked the layup attempt of the first driver that came his way. With about seven minutes before the half, Sidibe stuffed a shot that hit a fan in the second row behind the basket.

He hit four straight free throws, too, amid SU’s 22-0 run. When Chukwu fell into foul trouble at the start of the second half, Sidibe got more time than the 20 minutes per game head coach Jim Boeheim anticipated. Sidibe finished with six blocks, 10 points and eight boards.

Lowlight: Frank Howard’s turnovers

Howard, the starting point guard, scored Syracuse’s first points of the game on a 3-pointer from the right wing. He racked up 15 points and three steals, but the junior finished with six turnovers against a Division-II defense. With SU down one about four minutes in, Howard dribbled into traffic around the left elbow and lost control.

With Syracuse down 8-5, he didn’t hit rim on an awkward lefty layup attempt. Later, after Syracuse commanded a double-digit lead, Howard tossed a pass out of bounds. Boeheim slapped his forehead in frustration.

Out due to injury: Geno Thorpe

Thorpe, a graduate transfer from South Florida, sat on the bench in a jumpsuit because he hurt his ankle in practice. He did not play, leaving the SU frontcourt to Battle, Howard and Washington.

Syracuse plays next on Monday night against Southern Connecticut State in its second and final exhibition.

Published on November 1, 2017 at 9:20 pm

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