Syracuse faced a tough challenge against #3 Duke, suffering a hefty 101-64 loss at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Orange struggled, especially in the second half, where Duke’s shooting reached an impressive 71.9%.
William Kyle III led Syracuse with 12 points, while Nate Kingz followed with 10. Ibrahim Souare was strong on the boards, grabbing seven rebounds. Duke’s Cameron Boozer was a standout, scoring 22 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.
The game shifted decisively at the start of the second half. Duke had an 11-0 run to finish the first half, then quickly expanded their lead with a 12-4 surge. Their aggressive start included a perfect 4-of-4 shooting in the first few minutes, pushing their lead to 52-28, which was a challenging gap for Syracuse to close.
While Syracuse began strong, with J.J. Starling scoring the first basket, their momentum quickly waned. After leading briefly, the Orange found themselves unable to score during critical stretches, allowing Duke to build a steady advantage. Duke finished the half with an 11-0 run, closing out the first half at 40-24.
Syracuse tried to rally in the second half, pulling together a 9-4 run to bring the score to 56-37, but Duke’s shooting streak overwhelmed them. In total, Duke scored 61 points in the second half, representing the most points ever put up against Syracuse in a single half this season.
In the game:
- Six different Syracuse players hit three-pointers.
- Kingz extended his streak of successfully making three-pointers to 16 games.
- Kyle III led the scoring for the second time this season.
Duke’s impressive shooting percentage of 62.3% is noteworthy, marking their best performance this season. This game highlights Duke’s offensive prowess and Syracuse’s struggles, emphasizing the competitive nature of college basketball.
Looking ahead, Syracuse’s next matchup is against #16/20 North Carolina on February 21 at the JMA Wireless Dome, where the team will honor former players Jim Lee and Rudy Hackett by retiring their jersey numbers.
For more details on ticket availability, visit cuse.com.
