Syracuse separated itself late in the first half, and had five players score in double figures.
In its final non-conference bout, Syracuse rode to a comfortable 80-67 win over Texas Southern at the Carrier Dome on Sunday afternoon.
The Orange used a late first half rally to pull away from the Tigers. After the game was tied at 22 with 4:53 to play, Syracuse ended the half on an 18-8 run — a run boosted by four made 3s.
In the second half, the Orange were far from dominant, but they also didn't come close to relinquishing their lead, which stood at double digits for the entirety of the half.
In the win, Syracuse had five different players score in double figures. Michael Gbinije led the way with 15 points, while Trevor Cooney and DaJuan Coleman each had 14. Freshmen Tyler Lydon and Malachi Richardson added 13 and 10 points, respectively.
On a more concerning note for SU, Tigers forward Derrick Griffin — who also plays football — scored 20 points and went a perfect 9-of-9 from the field, consistently dominating in the low post.
It's also important to note that Texas Southern is one of college basketball's worst teams, having entered today's game at just 1-9 on the season. The schedule is about to get much more difficult for the Orange, who open ACC play on Wednesday night at Pittsburgh, before traveling to Miami on Saturday.
As for today's game, we'll have more coverage to come. But leave your immediate thoughts in the comments section below.
