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Syracuse suffered its first two setbacks this season at the Legends Classic in Brooklyn this past Thursday and Friday. First, its comeback effort against Texas fell short. The Orange trailed by 16 points in the second half before storming back to take the lead with four minutes left. Yet SU didn’t make enough plays down the stretch, falling 70-66.

The following night against Texas Tech, Syracuse ran out of gas. SU fell 79-74 after shooting just 10-for-26 in the second half. Though its three-game win streak was broken, Syracuse put on a better display than its first three games, where it won by a combined 15 points.

As it looks to break its first losing streak of the season, SU welcomes in-state rival Cornell to the JMA Wireless Dome. The Big Red are 2-2 across their last four games and are looking to defeat Syracuse for the first time since 1968.

Here’s everything to know about Cornell (4-2, 0-0 Ivy League) ahead of its meeting with Syracuse (3-2, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 97-31.

Last time they played …

Syracuse defeated Cornell 81-70 on Dec. 5, 2023, at the JMA Wireless Dome. After leading by three at halftime, SU led by as many as 14 with 10 minutes remaining. Though Cornell chipped away at the deficit, cutting it to three with 2:59 left. Syracuse then finished the game on a 10-2 run to secure the win.

SU was paced by Judah Mintz, who hit a career-high five 3-pointers on seven attempts. The point guard recorded 28 points while Chris Bell also hit five triples. As a team, Syracuse went 7-for-16 from beyond the arc in the second half and shot 41% overall.

KenPom odds

Syracuse has an 81% chance of winning, with a projected score of 87-78.

The Big Red Report

Cornell lost its leading scorer, Chris Manon, from last season, but it wasn’t a huge blow since he averaged just 12.5 points per game. Manon helped the Big Red to a 22-8 record, eventually losing in the National Invitational Tournament’s first round to Ohio State.

Now, Cornell is led by leading scorer Jake Fiegen, while AK Okereke and Cooper Noard also average double figures at 11.5 points and 10.8 points per game, respectively. The Big Red are averaging 83 points per game and haven’t been held under 70 this season.

Cornell’s potent offense has to do with its pace. According to KenPom, its average offensive possession length is tied for the fastest possession length in the country. The Big Red hold onto the ball for 14 seconds on average. Syracuse ranks 192nd in that category, with an APL of 17.3 seconds.

How Syracuse beats Cornell

Syracuse’s first task is to slow Cornell down. If the Orange can draw this game out and force Cornell into longer possessions, they’ll be successful. But if Syracuse can’t accomplish that, it’ll have to put together a consistent offensive performance.

Cornell doesn’t have the size and athleticism to deal with the Orange, meaning they can take advantage of this on the offensive glass. Cornell allows its opponents to grab 36.6% of its misses, while Syracuse’s clip sits at 32%. The Orange are averaging 12.6 offensive rebounds per game. If Eddie Lampkin Jr. and Jyare Davis remain active on the glass, they can give fits to Cornell’s front court and gain extra possessions for SU.

Stat to know: 25.7

Through five games, Syracuse is shooting 25.7% from 3-point range. Only 24 teams in the country are knocking down 3s at a worse rate. The most 3s SU has hit this season was against Colgate, nailing eight. Outside of that, it hasn’t knocked down more than six. In the rest of those games, the Orange have shot below 30%.

Statistically, J.J. Starling is Syracuse’s best shooter. Of those with at least five attempts on SU’s roster, Starling’s 31% rate from deep is the best. Bell has knocked down just 28% of his looks, while nobody else’s percentage is above 20%.

Player to watch: Jake Fiegen, guard, No. 22

Fiegen has exploded in his sophomore season. After zero starts in 29 appearances as a freshman, the guard has shined in an increased role, leading Cornell with 15.5 points per game. Fiegen averaged just 3.8 points last season in 15 minutes per contest. His volume has increased, but so has his efficiency.

In 2023-24, Fiegen attempted just 2.8 3s per game, knocking them down 31.3%. Now, he’s attempting 5.7 and hitting shooting 50%. Fiegen has scored in double figures in all but one of Cornell’s games so far. He recorded a season-high 22 points with four 3s on Nov. 21 against Robert Morris.

Published on November 26, 2024 at 4:56 pm

Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22