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Syracuse, N.Y. — After a one week hiatus, the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team returned to action from the Carrier Dome to take on a Jaylen Adams-less St. Bonaventure squad. With excitement still the air from Syracuse football’s bowl win over West Virginia last night, the basketball team was able to handle the Bonnies with relative ease, winning by a final score of 81-47.
Marek Dolezaj made his second consecutive start at the center position and Syracuse quickly jumped out to a 12-2 lead as Tyus Battle reached double figures (10 points) before the first media timeout. Jalen Carey returned for some brief first half action after missing the Arkansas State game with a bruised hip.
Battle scored 15 first half points, Dolezaj scored 7 while Oshae Brissett and Elijah Hughes each chipped in 5. Behind some solid defense and poor St. Bonaventure offense, Syracuse was able to take a 46-25 lead into the break.
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Syracuse kept its foot on the gas after the intermission and was never really tested by the Bonnies. Hughes was able to get going in the scoring column and Carey got some extended run at the point in the second.
Jim Boehiem was able to go deeper into his bench as the Syracuse lead stayed above 20 points throughout — that allowed the role players some burn as Buddy Boeheim played for most of the second half and Robert Braswell checked in at the 7:57 mark. Dolezaj slid over to the forward spot while Paschal Chukwu got more time at center.
Battle returned to form as Taco Time King — he rang the bell to get Syracuse over the 70 point hump and not long thereafter Syracuse built a 30-point lead at 74-44. Robert Braswell had a nice dunk in transition and Syracuse closed things out from there.
Final Stats
Battle led Syracuse in scoring with 21 while Hughes had 16. Buddy Boeheim had 12 points off the bench while Dolezaj had 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a partridge in a pear tree.
Syracuse forced 25 St. Bonaventure turnovers and limited the Bonnies to just 16 percent shooting from three.
Next Up
Syracuse moves to 9-4 overall with ACC play looming. The Orange will have one week to rest and practice before tipping off against Notre Dame next Saturday. That game will tip off in South Bend at noon next weekend with the ACCN picking up coverage.