Syracuse held the lead six times in the first half, but Florida State went post-to-post in the second half, turning a two-point lead at the break into a 90-74 final. The Seminoles (10-4, 1-2 ACC) pulled away in the final 12 minutes, blowing open a 57-53 game as foul trouble began to engulf the Orange (6-8, 0-3). SU big men Eddie Lampkin and Petar Majstorovic both picked up their fourth fouls with over 11 minutes to play, setting the table for FSU to pull away.

J.J. Starling returned for Syracuse after missing seven straight games, but had a choppy shooting performance. More concerning was the Orange defense, who allowed the ‘Noles to shoot 53.6 percent overall, including 57.1 percent in the second half. SU’s foul trouble also helped Florida State shoot just over 60 percent inside the arc en route to a 40-26 advantage in points in the paint.

The hosts held an early advantage as the teams traded scores until Syracuse got back-to-back buckets to take their first lead at 12-10 with just over four minutes elapsed. The Seminoles struck back with eight straight points to take their biggest lead of the opening half.

The Orange flipped the eight-point swing right back on the hosts, hanging a 9-1 run to go back on top, 21-19, just past the midpoint of the opening half. FSU went back on top, eventually pushing the margin out to five with four minutes left to the break by scoring six straight points after ceding the lead twice.

SU responded with three straight baskets to go on top by one, but a Florida State 3-pointer closed the scoring by putting the hosts on top at the break, 36-34. It was the last of a dozen lead changes in the opening half.

Syracuse pulled within a single point early in the second half, but the ‘Noles got an 8-2 run to get some breathing room and force an Orange time out while holding a 46-39 lead with 17:24 to play. Florida State took advantage of a turnover after the break to push their lead to nine.

Kyle Cuffe Jr. and Chris Bell responded by outscoring the hosts, 9-4, to draw SU back within 52-48. The two teams then traded markers by tallying three times each, but the Seminoles exploited three Syracuse players going to the bench with four fouls, including Lampkin and Majstorovic, by running off an 11-2 run to grab a 68-55 lead shortly before the midpoint of the second half.

The Orange made a push, getting 3’s from Bell, Lucas Taylor, and Donnie Freeman, but could only get within seven. The hosts responded with eight of the game’s next nine points to extend their lead to 81-67 with just over two minutes to play and coasted home from there.

Bell had a very efficient 18 points for SU, going 4-for-5 from the field and 6-of-7 at the line, including making all four of his 3’s. Freeman rang up a double-double of 16 points and ten rebounds. Starling had a dozen points in his return while Cuffe and Taylor each added ten.

Daquan Davis led all scorers in the game with 19 points, including a pristine 10-for-10 at the foul line. Jamir Watkins supported him with 16 points. Taylor Bol Bowen and Malique Ewin each added 14 for the Seminoles, with Bol Bowen grabbing ten rebounds for a double-double and adding three blocked shots.

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