The Syracuse Orange have started off ACC play with a disappointing loss at home to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. With a final score of 81-71, the Cuse had several recurring issues once again play a big role in a sorrowing defeat.
Syracuse Once Again Plagued By Sloppy Offense
Syracuse has made a bad habit of coming out of the gates slowly. Just as in their blowout loss to Maryland, the Orange allowed Wake Forest to start fast, as the visitors opened on a 16-2 run all while incoming star Kiyan Anthony watched from the stands. Wake Forest senior transfer Tre’Von Spillers was the catalyst early, and Syracuse’s standout freshman Donnie Freeman quickly found himself on the bench after failing to match Spillers’ energy and activity. In fact, it was not long until the entire Orange starting 5 was riding the pine as a result of sloppy play and defensive lapses.
This IS Syracuse basketball 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/MtVKzUP067
— Cardiac Cuse (@cardiac_cuse) December 31, 2024
Throughout the game, Syracuse’s poor shooting and propensity for unforced turnovers reared its ugly head. Shooting just 22.7% from 3 and turning it over 17 times, these two areas of the game once again seemed to define Syracuse’s struggles. As much as the team misses guard JJ Starling’s almost 20 points per game, they clearly also miss his ball handling and ability to set up teammates. Guard Jaquan Carlos and Kyle Cuffe Jr. have been the main ball-handlers since Starling’s broken hand, but when they both experienced foul trouble, the absence of Starling loomed large. Thankfully, Starling appears to be close to returning.
Carlos has remained in the starting lineup, but his lack of aggression on offense sometimes resulted in him holding himself back. Despite scoring 16 points, Carlos turned down several good opportunities at the rim throughout the game due to his tendency to look to pass. Adding in four turnovers, his struggles were a noticeable part of the game.
Center Eddie Lampkin Jr., often praised for his passing, looked off the pace throughout. Lampkin had four turnovers of his own and only one assist. The aforementioned Freeman, Lampkin’s compliment in Syracuse’s frontcourt, was just 2-7 from the field and only managed 7 points, well below his average of almost 14 a game.
However, the poster child for Syracuse’s lack of offense was Chris Bell. Too often an invisible presence on offense and liability on defense, Bell attempted just one shot and was benched for the entirety of the second half. Bell’s rotten season is starting to look more like a true regression as opposed to a temporary slump.
Syracuse Had Some Signs of Life Through Kyle Cuffe Jr. and Lucas Taylor
After the poor start, Syracuse turned to their bench and found plenty of positives. Kyle Cuffe Jr., a rotational player last year who has had inconsistent opportunities this season, scored a career high 14 points. This energy in transition, resilience on defense, and athleticism on the glass caused the game to turn around in Syracuse’s favor. The Harlem, New York native was the MVP for the Cuse. Cuffe was joined off the bench by Lucas Taylor, who was out for revenge against his former team. Taylor received a technical foul for addressing the Wake Forest bench after drilling a three-pointer, proving how much the game meant to him.
Kyle Cuffe has already tied his career high with 13 points at the half pic.twitter.com/27WH0AUJZt
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) December 31, 2024
Taylor ultimately scored 16 points on an efficient 6-11 from the floor, including 3-7 from deep. On an Orange team who are a horrific three-point shooting team, Taylor is becoming the team’s only reliable option from deep. Furthermore, Taylor played tough defense against Wake Forest’s best player, senior Hunter Sallis. Although Taylor’s length impacted Sallis, the Demon Deacons star battled his way to 23 points and 4 assists. However, the impressive second half from Sallis was more of a result of the Orange’s poor pick-and-roll defense than Taylor’s inability to hang with him.
Kyle Cuffe has already tied his career high with 13 points at the half pic.twitter.com/27WH0AUJZt
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) December 31, 2024
The team deserves credit for fighting back from a terrible start to the contest, but their inability to get out of their own way to close out games is something that demands immediate improvement. While many of the same old issues are problems for Adrian Autry’s crew, there are still some positive developments. The emergence of Cuffe and Taylor, both who have been playing well as of late, will certainly help the cause. Ultimately, it’s hard to imagine Syracuse turning their season around without JJ Starling, but once their leading man returns to the lineup, there are some reasons for optimism.
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