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Following a week-long break after Syracuse defeated Georgetown in the nation’s capital, the Orange played their fourth neutral site game of the season against Oregon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Sanford Pentagon, the Ducks and the Orange squared off for just the second-time ever as an injury-riddled Oregon team entered without five key contributors.

Syracuse (8-3, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) trailed by as much as 10 in the first half, but quickly found itself back in the game and in full control. In a turnover-heavy game, SU managed a 33-25 halftime lead and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half. The bench continued its strong collective performance while Judah Mintz made some tough baskets as Syracuse left Sioux Falls with a 83-63 win over Oregon (7-3, 0-0 PAC-12 Conference).

Here are some observations from the Orange’s penultimate nonconference game:

Overcoming a sluggish start

Adrian Autry had seen enough once his team trailed 14-4 over seven minutes into the game, calling a timeout. The Orange started 1-of-10 from the field and went 0-of-5 from beyond the arc. An alley-oop from Chris Bell to Mintz was Syracuse’s first field goal nearly four minutes into the game.

The Orange had few turnovers early on. A pass to Bell on the left wing was too high, Justin Taylor was called for an illegal screen and SU forced up multiple 3-pointers that missed.

Jackson Shelstad drained a couple 3s for the Ducks, including one on a second-chance opportunity. Oregon found easy ways to break the Syracuse man-to-man defense. The Ducks’ first basket came on a simple pick-and-roll between Jermaine Couisnard and Mahamadou Diawara for a slam. Shelstad blew by Mintz and settled for an easy midrange 2.

Following the timeout, Syracuse woke up, starting a 10-1 run behind three straight field goals. Maliq Brown scored down low, Kyle Cuffe Jr. hit a 3 and Mintz found Benny Williams on an alley-oop. Another 3 by Cuffe Jr. a few minutes later gave SU a 17-15 advantage, its first lead of the game.

Turnovers galore

In the first half, both teams combined for 24 turnovers, with an even split down the middle. Capitalizing on the Ducks’ turnovers and short possessions got Syracuse back into the game.

After an Oregon rebound with a few minutes remaining in the first half, Kwame Evans Jr. attempted an outlet pass to Shelstad up the floor. Shelstad wasn’t looking, allowing Mintz to intercept it and draw a foul. On an earlier play in the game, Mintz dove on the ground for a loose ball, finding Williams on the breakaway for an easy slam.

Syracuse had 13 fast-break points while Oregon had just two. The Ducks struggled to make baskets after their quick start, shooting just 30% from the floor and 3-of-18 from 3 in the first half. Oregon’s lone fast-break points came off a Syracuse turnover where JJ Starling’s pass was intercepted as Kario Oquendo converted an easy slam.

On a play in the second half, both teams turned the ball over within three seconds. Mintz had lost possession as he drove into the lane, then the ball was poked back to him as Oregon corralled possession, leading to an easy lay-in. In a different sequence, Starling had his pass in the paint intercepted by Evans Jr, who traveled seconds later.

Bench contribution

Though Mintz had a couple of key defensive plays and assists in the first half, it wasn’t his scoring that helped Syracuse develop an eight-point halftime lead. Bench players such as Brown, Cuffe Jr. and Williams combined for 20 of the team’s 33 first-half points. The 44 points from the bench tied Syracuse’s most all season as it had 44 in a 51-point win over Chaminade.

Williams was the recipient of a couple alley-oops and Brown hit a couple buckets down low. Cuffe Jr. was the spark that Syracuse heavily needed, making a couple 3s that gave the Orange a lead.

In the second half, Mintz found Quadir Copeland positioned at the free-throw line. Immediately, Copeland turned toward the basket and dished an underneath pass to Brown at the right block as Brown scored the layup to give the Orange a 42-30 lead four minutes into the second half. On another play, Copeland threw an overhead, backward pass between two defenders to Brown, who forced two free throws.

Midway through the second half, Shelstad tried to pass to Brennan Rigsby, but it was behind him, allowing Brown to dribble down the court for a breakaway two-handed slam. On the next basket, Copeland broke the press on his own, scoring a contested lay up. Copeland frequently beat the Duck press, which often put them out of position and led to easy SU scores. He finished with 15 points, a new career-high.

Winning the rebounding battle

Occasionally, Syracuse has struggled on the glass, allowing its opponents to win the rebound battle. Against LSU, it allowed 12 first-half offensive rebounds, giving the Tigers extended possessions. Versus Oregon, the Orange won the rebounding battle 36-31.

Copeland led the way for Syracuse with nine rebounds while Naheem McLeod had eight. Oregon struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 4-of-27, and the Orange’s rebounds minimized the chance for additional scoring opportunities.

Off a Mintz missed 3-ball from the left wing, Copeland positioned himself down low to grab the offensive rebound over Shelstad. Copeland went up, scored and drew the foul for the 3-point play.

Published on December 17, 2023 at 3:37 pm

Contact Cole: [email protected] | @ColeBambini