NEW YORK — In a meeting of former Big East rivals, Syracuse (2-1) lost to Connecticut (3-0), 83-76, on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. Hot 3-point shooting from the Huskies, and conversely cold shooting from distance for Syracuse, proved much of the difference.

Here are three takeaways from Thursday night’s game.

Two sides of one coin

Jalen Carey made his first career start at point guard on Thursday, and he showed his youth early for Syracuse. He turned the ball over three times in the first four minutes of the ball game, prompting his substitution out. But he also showed his ability to get to the rim.

On one possession, he received a swing pass on the right side, had a step on his defender and got to the rim. He took contact and finished, then made the free throw. Carey entered the half with good and bad: nine points and three steals but five turnovers.

He kept pushing the pace in the second half, receiving an outlet from Elijah Hughes for a lay-in at the rim early in the period. Later on, he cut back door as Tyus Battle hop-stepped at the foul line and got a dunk after an easy pass from Battle. Then, Carey stepped back to hit a 15-foot 2 from the right wing area. He even hit a step-in 3 late to keep the Orange in the game but the early struggles cost SU.

Carey finished with 26 points.

Brissett’s shot selection

It seemed at times Oshae Brissett recognized that Syracuse needed to get something started offensively. But that led to some rough looks from the floor.

At one point, he dribbled left toward the foul line, stepped back, jumped off one foot and shot a fadeaway jumper. Even with all the effort to create separation, a UConn defender got a piece of the shot and it didn’t get near the rim. Brissett shot 1-for-7 in the first half from the field.

He took his frustration out on the rim midway through the second half, as he sliced down the lane and flushed it with his right hand. It was the clearest look he’d have all game. For SU, that simply didn’t happen enough Thursday.

Misleading turnovers

Syracuse won the turnover battle on Thursday night, forcing 20 UConn turnovers to 11 by the Orange. But it didn’t lead to enough opportunities to score in transition. A handful of the Huskies turnovers were dead ball turnovers — stepping out of bounds or charging fouls. And on a few others, Syracuse got the ball only to throw it right back.

Early in the second half, Paschal Chukwu stole a baseline inbound pass from the Huskies and turned to outlet toward midcourt. His pass was jumped and picked off, though, giving the ball right back to UConn.

On two consecutive possessions late in the game, Syracuse forced a shot clock violation and a travel. Following both of those plays, the Orange could not score at the other end.

3-point discrepancy

The whole game was an edge for the Huskies from beyond the 3-point line. The Huskies made 12-for-21 from 3. The Orange made 6-of-22. It showed in the closing moments.

First, Alterique Gilbert pulled up from about 30 feet, way beyond the NBA 3-point line on the floor at MSG, and drained a 3 to put the Huskies up seven inside of two minutes to go.

Then, Jalen Adams stepped into one on the right wing on the next possession. He drained it. Syracuse had closed within four but those two 3s put the game out of reach in the closing stages.

Published on November 15, 2018 at 9:15 pm

Contact Billy: [email protected] | @Wheyen3