For the second straight game, Syracuse led for over 35 minutes of the game, but they once again fell, this time on a tap-in with 2.9 seconds at SMU, 77-75. The Mustangs (22-8, 13-6) avoided a near-disaster with the putback, but the Orange (12-18, 6-13 ACC) coughed up a double-digit lead for the second straight outing.
SU held a 63-51 lead just past the midpoint of the second half and an eight-point advantage with just over five minutes remaining, but could not seal the deal. Not only did they miss their last four shots from the field, but they also went 3-of-6 at the line and turned the ball over twice, netting three points on their final nine possessions of the game.
The Syracuse defense also played a hand in their struggles, as they allowed SMU to shoot 60.7 percent from the field in the second half. That helped offset a woeful night at the foul line, as the Mustangs shot 13-of-27 at the stripe, including a mere 6-of-17 in the second half.
The Orange cashed in on their first couple possessions for a quick 5-0 lead, but SMU charged back shortly after. SU hit 5-of-6 shots to start the contest, including a pair of 3-pointers, to hold a 12-8 lead at the first media break. The Mustangs halved that margin, but Lucas Taylor’s second and third 3’s of the first seven minutes gave him 11 quick points and forced the hosts to call time out with Syracuse in front, 18-10.
Jaquan Carlos added a lay-up to make it eight straight Orange points to push the lead to ten. SMU responded shortly after with their first significant push of the game, needing less than two minutes to tally ten straight points to knot the score at 23 a side.
SU held off the hosts for another minute, but a Mustang basket gave them their first lead and made it a 14-2 run. Syracuse eventually regained the lead by getting a pair of 3-pointers and two technical foul shots from Chris Bell for the bulk of a 12-2 run that gave them a 41-32 advantage with just over a minute on the clock.
SMU trimmed four points off the margin, but a last-second 3-pointer from Carlos went off the backboard and the rim before falling through for a 44-36 halftime lead. The hosts needed less than a minute trim the margin to five, but the Orange responded with the next six points to take their largest lead at 50-39 and force a Mustang time out with 17:18 on the clock.
SMU chipped away at the gap, knocking six points off the margin to draw within five as SU went through a 0-for-6 shooting stretch. Syracuse shook it off and briefly grew the lead back to eight, but the hosts halved that, forcing Adrian Autry to call time out a little over seven minutes into the half with a 55-51 lead.
Once more, the Orange responded by pushing their lead back out, this time notching eight straight points for a 63-51 advantage. The Mustangs once again charged back, hanging nine of ten points to pull within 64-60 with just over seven-and-a-half minutes left.
SU answered the call once more, scoring six of the next eight points to double the lead at 70-62. Again, SMU replied, this time posting an 10-3 run to get within 73-72 with just over two minutes to go, then tied it with 1:29 on the clock.
Eddie Lampkin muscled his way inside to earn two foul shots and made the first for a Syracuse lead. The Mustangs answered with a lay-up for their first lead in nearly 35 minutes, but Carlos drew a foul inside and went to the charity stripe. The point guard made just the second shot, tying the game once more with 27.9 seconds to go.
SMU got a drive toward the basket and an off-balance shot that missed, but batted home the putback to drop with 2.9 seconds to play. J.J. Starling got the inbounds pass and got over halfcourt before putting up a long 3 that got the glass and all of the rim, but spun off.
Taylor led six Orange players in double figures, riding his hot start to finish with 13 points. Carlos handed out eight assists to go with a dozen points. Bell hit three 3-pointers for most of his 11 points. Kyle Cuffe Jr., Lampkin, and Starling each had ten points. Lampkin fell one rebound shy of a double-double while Starling struggled through a woeful 3-for-17 shooting effort, including 1-of-10 from long range.
Kario Oquendo led all scorers with 16 points for the Mustangs. Chuck Harris had 13 points while Keon Ambrose-Hylton and Samet Yigitoglu both scored 12. Boopie Miller, who had missed the last five games with a foot injury, returned with 11 points and Matt Cross added ten.
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