Syracuse (2-0) pulled away from Morehead State (1-2) to win in the Carrier Dome on Saturday night, 84-70. The Orange took a big lead early, let the Eagles back in it, but then found a groove to open the season with a second-straight home win.

Here are three takeaways from the Orange’s win.

Old-fashioned 3

Oshae Brissett worked to fine-tune his 3-point shot last season and into this one. And he showed it on Saturday, opening his scoring with a knockdown from the top of the key. But it was the old-school 3-point play that contributed his next 9 points.

On the first, he set up on the left wing and drove past his man right. With a hop step into the lane, he took contact to his chest. Brissett scooped with his right hand up to finish. Then, he set up on the right block before pivoting into the lane and scoring over a smaller defender through a foul. On the third, he drop-stepped on a pass to the right block and finished off glass through contact.

Brissett slowed down in the second half, allowing Elijah Hughes to take over. After having nine points at the half, the East Carolina-transfer finished with 21 points. That included a three-point play of his own as he got to the rim with his right hand and took contact, and another when he went behind the back to get to the hoop.

Then, Tyus Battle heated his own game up with two three-point plays where he started on the left and got to his right hand at the front of the rim. Battle finished with 23.

Keeping it close

At one point in the first half, Syracuse led 25-11. Then, Morehead State went on a 16-3 run. The Eagles caused trouble for the Orange on the perimeter, as A.J. Hicks forced Jalen Carey into multiple turnovers. Overall, SU turned it over 11 times in the first half.

The Orange also battled through foul trouble for both of their centers. Paschal Chukwu picked up three fouls in the first half, all on the offensive end. Bourama Sidibe also committed three fouls, forcing Syracuse to use Marek Dolezaj at center for stretches.

Jordan Walker came out firing in the second half for Morehead State, hitting two 3s and finishing strong at the rim on the right side in the half’s first four minutes. When Syracuse went to the under-16 timeout, the Orange lead was still six, just as it had been at halftime.

It was a Buddy Boeheim 3 that started the Orange on its 12-0 run in the middle of the second half to put the Orange in a more comfortable spot, putting Syracuse up 55-40.

Battle finds his touch

Tyus Battle went 3-for-10 in the Syracuse season-opener Tuesday, and after the game, he stayed out on the Carrier Dome floor and shot after everybody had left. He averaged more than 19 points a game last season.

But on Saturday, he stayed cold. He started 0-for-6 before making two jumpers in quick succession before the half. As the second half wore on, he simply couldn’t find a rhythm. The Orange stuck with him for long stretches at point guard, even with Carey and Howard Washington, natural point guards, active.

Battle, though, had the and-1 that allowed Syracuse to begin to pull away. He drove left and got to the front of the rim with his right hand. He placed the ball in the basket through the contact and made the free throw. That put Syracuse up nine. After that, Hughes made two free throws. Chukwu made two free throws. Hughes made another two free throws.

The Orange lead never fell below eight points again. After starting 0-for-6, Battle made five of his next eight shots as part of SU pulling away.

Published on November 10, 2018 at 9:10 pm

Contact Billy: wmheyen@syr.edu | @Wheyen3