Orange Edged by Old Dominion, 68-62

Saturday, December 15

Syracuse, NY

12:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

(7-3)

Old Dominion

(8-3)

Old Dominion

Syracuse

12/15/2018 2:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Tyus Battle's 23 points were not enough for Syracuse (7-3) and the Orange fell to Old Dominion (8-3), 66-62, Saturday afternoon at the Carrier Dome.

The result halted Syracuse's winning streak at five and extended the Monarch's run to six straight triumphs.

Battle had a game-high 23 points, including 11 from the free-throw line.

Elijah Hughes joined Battle in double-digits with 15, and the duo combined for 38 of Syracuse's 62 points. Oshae Brissett and Frank Howard just missed double-digits with nine points each. Brissett and Marek Dolezaj led the Orange with six rebounds each while Howard dished out a game-high six assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Syracuse held a 53-51 lead before the Monarchs produced an 8-1 run, grabbing their largest lead of the game, 59-54. Brissett cut the lead to two with his second three-pointer of the afternoon, 59-57, but Old Dominion connected on a layup and a pair of free throws to move ahead, 63-57. Battle kept the Orange fighting with a three-pointer on a pass from Howard, but Old Dominion responded by taking a five-point, 65-60, lead that Syracuse would not be able to erase.

A TALE OF TWO HALVES
With four minutes to go in the first half, Syracuse held a narrow 21-20 lead before going on a 12-2 run to close out the half with a 10-point lead, 33-23. Battle led the first-half charge for the Orange with 13 points on a 4-of-7 shooting performance.

Old Dominion came out of the intermission and quickly erased the halftime deficit with an early 13-2 run that tied the game at 41. Both teams battled to take the lead and neither was able to distance themselves by more than four points.

COACH BOEHEIM'S THOUGHTS
"I thought they played a more physical game than we did. They got to the boards better. They made a couple big shots. We just did not finish around the basket. We have to shoot better than that. Tyus (Battle) can't really do it by himself. We have to get him more help. We were just completely overmatched in the center spot now, no matter who is in there. We have to play better at that position."

OF NOTE

Saturday marked Battle's eighth double-digit scoring game of the season and his sixth with 20+ points.
Brissett's nine points pushed him past the 700 mark in his career. He now with 702 career points.
The Orange had more than 20 free throws as a team for the third time this season, coming in with 22 against the Monarchs.
Both Syracuse and Old Dominion entered Saturday's game with a five-game winning streak.
The all-time series between Syracuse and Old Dominion is now tied, 2-2.
Syracuse opened the first half shooting 3-of-5 from three-point range as nine of the team's first 10 points came from beyond the arc.
Saturday's game had five lead changes and six ties

UP NEXT
Syracuse will play its fifth-straight home game on Tuesday, Dec. 18 when it welcomes undefeated Buffalo to the Carrier Dome. The Bulls are ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press rankings and No. 15 in the Coaches Poll.