Miami 91, Syracuse 84: Orange feel the heat in fast-paced loss to Hurricanes

The defense stayed home and so did whatever optimism was left

Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

CORAL GABLES, FL - Adrian Autry and the Syracuse Orange came into Tuesday night looking for a second-straight ACC win, but the Miami Hurricanes had other ideas. The 'Canes flew on the wings of their red-hot senior guard, finally showing some signs of life themselves with a 91-84 victory inside the Watsco Center Tuesday night.

The home squad shot a whopping 55.4% from the field, also making 10/20 from the arc as the Orange rear guard couldn't keep them out of the corners. Syracuse drops to 11-14 (5-9) on the season, while Miami is just happy to get any win they can at 6-18 (2-11).

The Orange ran out J.J. Starling, Elijah Moore, Lucas Taylor, Jyáre Davis, and Eddie Lampkin as the starting five. Two of those guys, as well as a third from the bench, would finish with double figures.

Matthew Cleveland scored the game's first bucket inside the paint. Miami's leading scorer was active early, putting up nine of the U's first 13 points and 15 overall in the first half.

Starling countered Cleveland with a left hand layup for SU's first score, and a few plays later, he stole one off the 6'7" guard and took it down court himself for the first Orange lead of the night, 6-5.

The bigger pieces on offense to start were Lampkin and Chris Bell, who had 12 points each before halftime. Eddie converted 6/6 shots at the line while Bell nailed a pair of threes, mid-range jumpers, and free throws through the first 20.

Despite that, the Orange could not get the defensive stops they needed to build any kind of lead over the 'Canes. Another Starling breakaway tied the game at 25, but after some more back-and-forth including Divine Ugochukwu and Bell trading threes, the U rattled off a 9-2 run and forced Autry to burn his first timeout.

Taylor drained a wide open corner three just before halftime, but Miami went into the locker room up 43-37

Davis opened the second half with a three of his own, and Starling drained his first trifecta on the fourth try soon after, but Syracuse stayed down three points 52-49 at the first media timeout.

Following the break, Cleveland missed a pair of free throws - the first from either team to that point, with SU 10/10 and Miami 8/8 beforehand - before Kyle Cuffe knocked down a corner three for the tie.

Cuffe then capitalized off a turnover, finishing a three-on-one break for the first Orange lead since three minutes into the game.

About 3:30 later, Jaquan Carlos made a three for his first points of the night, then Lampkin rocked the rim for a three-point Orange lead and Miami timeout.

Threes continued to fly on both sides, with Paul Djobet, Cleveland, and Jalil Bethea all converting for the U and Carlos making another for 'Cuse. The strong push by the home squad put them up five with 3:59 to go.

It was more of Cleveland down the stretch that put the game away - he finished with a game-best 32 points, setting a new career-high. On the Orange side, Starling led the team with 25, and Lampkin secured his ninth double-double of the season with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

SU returns to the Dome Saturday when they host North Carolina (14-11, 7-6). Tip-off is at 6 and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.