Orange Edge Yellow Jackets for First ACC Win

Tuesday, January 7

Syracuse, N.Y.

7 PM

Syracuse University

7-8,1-3ACC

Georgia Tech

8-8,2-3ACC

Georgia Tech

Syracuse

1/7/2025 9:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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After holding a one-point lead at halftime, strong second-half performances from J.J. Starling and Eddie Lampkin Jr. led Syracuse (7-8, 1-3 ACC) to a hard-fought 62-55 victory over Georgia Tech (8-8, 2-3 ACC), securing the team's first conference win of the season.

How The Game Was Decided
At the 11:05 mark in the second half, the Yellow Jackets held a three-point lead until a Starling three-pointer sparked a 12-4 Orange run, giving Syracuse a 47-42 advantage heading into a media timeout.

The 'Cuse defense then stifled the Yellow Jackets' comeback attempts, extending the lead to as many as eight points. Georgia Tech mounted multiple challenges in the final two minutes, narrowing the deficit to as few as three, but the Orange offense consistently responded to secure the victory.

With 27 seconds left, Starling gave 'Cuse some breathing room by sinking two free throws to extend the lead to five. On Georgia Tech's next possession, a missed three-pointer led to a Chris Bell rebound. Bell then hit two free throws, sealing the 62-55 win as the score held over the final 13 seconds.

J.J.'s So Back
Starling made a significant impact in just his second game back from injury, following his return against Florida State. The junior displayed his versatility, leading the team with 21 points while adding five rebounds, two blocks, a steal and an assist.

Starling delivered a strong second-half performance that helped Syracuse secure the narrow victory, scoring 13 of his 21 points in the final 20 minutes. He shot an efficient 5-of-8 from the field (63 percent) and came through in key moments, including his pair of clutch free throws with 27 seconds remaining.

Eddie Doubles Up in the Dome
Lampkin finished the night with 10 points and 12 rebounds, recording his fourth double-double of the season. All four of the center's double-doubles this campaign have come at home.

After a quiet first half, Lampkin scored all of his 10 points after intermission and grabbed seven of his 12 rebounds in the second half to help the Orange claim the win.

Taylor Takes Command in First Half
Lucas Taylor's eight first-half points led the Orange offense in a low-scoring half where neither team surpassed 30 points. The guard shot an efficient 3-of-5 (60 percent), including two three-pointers, in the first 20 minutes of play.

The senior guard finished the night in double figures with 10 points in his fourth start of the season, following a season-high 16-point performance in the loss at Florida State.

Notable Numbers

Tonight's win marks the 2,000th victory in program history for the Orange. Syracuse is now one of only seven Division I programs to surpass the 2,000-win milestone.
Syracuse held Georgia Tech to just 55 points, marking a season-low for a Yellow Jackets offense that averages 77.3 points per game.
Jyare Davis came close to a double-double, finishing with eight points and nine rebounds in the game.
Chris Bell notched his second consecutive game in double figures, finishing with 13 points off the bench.
Starling's 21 points surpassed his season average of 18.7 points per game. He has scored in double figures in all eight of his appearances this season.
Syracuse won the battle in the paint, outrebounding Georgia Tech 48-39. The Orange also edged the visiting team in points in the paint, 34-32.
Georgia Tech was limited to just seven second-chance points, as 'Cuse secured 35 of its 48 rebounds on the defensive end.
'Cuse's bench outscored the visiting reserves, 13-8, in the victory.
The win moves the Orange to 7-8 on the season and 7-2 at the Dome. Tonight's victory is the team's first ACC win of the campaign.
Syracuse is now 10-9 in the all-time series against Georgia Tech.

Up Next
The Orange will hit the road to face Boston College on Saturday, Jan. 11 at Conte Forum. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. with the contest being televised on The CW.

Tickets
Syracuse men's basketball tickets are available online (cuse.com/tickets), by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) and at the Dome Box Office (Gate B).

For complete coverage of Syracuse men's basketball, follow the team on X (@Cuse_MBB) and Instagram (@cuse_mbb).