Late First Half Run Leads Syracuse To Win in High Scoring Tilt

A 17-16 ASU lead nearly seven minutes into the game got washed away by 53 percent first half shooting by Syracuse as the Orangemen topped ASU 92-84 in the second round of the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas Thursday night.
 
Syracuse went on an 18-2 run in the final 5:33 to take a 48-30 lead at half as ASU made 1-of-12 from the floor to close the half while the Orange made 6-of-8. Syracuse also took advantage of going to the free throw line, making 9-of-11 in the first half (11 ASU fouls), while ASU only went twice (on four Syracuse fouls).

The Sun Devils fought back, as after being down 70-52 with 12:30 left they cut the lead down to 84-77 (2:47), 88-81 (1:49) and 91-84 (1:09) before Syracuse put it away with a stop and free throws. After making 7-of-10 shots, ASU missed its final five.
 
Kimani Lawrence posted his fourth double-double in six games with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Marreon Jackson had 17 points that included five three-pointers as ASU put six guys in double figures and hit 15 three-pointers.
 
"We had poor transition defense and allowed them to get into a good rhythm," Sun Devil head coach Bobby Hurley said. "We didn't have any toughness and grit on defense. We made things way too easy for them. We played with no desperation at all. We competed better in the second half, but why can't you do that in the first half? You can't build up that kind of deficit and expect to win."

"When you're playing for the 3-pointer and they're shooting it the way they were, an 18-point lead is nothing," Boeheim said. "But we were resilient down the stretch."

KIMANI LAWRENCE CAREER DOUBLE-DOUBLES (6)
11/13 vs. Syracuse (11/25/21)
14/12 at San Diego State (11/18/21)
19/12 vs. UC Riverside (11/11/21)
19/10 vs. Portland (11/9/21)
21/20 vs. Washington (2/25/21)
22/12 vs. Washington (2/23/21)

ASU will next play Loyola-Chicago Friday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNews before returning home for its Pac-12 opener on Wednesday, Dec. 1, vs. Washington State at 5:30 p.m.

ASU VS. SYRACUSE: ASU's last two meetings vs. Syracuse were in the NCAA Tournament. Syracuse came back to win 60-56 on March 14, 2018, in Dayton and won 78-67 in Miami in second-round action on March 22, 2009. ASU won 93-77 on Dec. 28, 1968.