LAS VEGAS, NV — Against its second-straight Q1 opponent of the Players Era Festival, the Syracuse Orange (4-2) once again fought and hung around, but came up short in a 71-60 loss to the Kansas Jayhawks
(5-2) on Tuesday.
Syracuse trailed by as much as 13 in the first half and did trim the deficit down to as low as two points. However, it couldn’t overcome its inefficient performance on offense. The Orange shot just 30% for the game, including 6/26 (23%) from three, compared to 48% for the Jayhawks. A late run in the second half by the Jayhawks would put the game away for good and hand Syracuse its second loss in as many days.
Tyler Betsey had a team-high 12 points on 4/12 shooting (4/10 from three). Other contributors included Nate Kingz (9 points), Sadiq White Jr. (9 points on 3/7 shooting) and William Kyle (9 points on 4/5 shooting, 8 rebounds). Kansas largely held Syracuse’s backcourt in check. Starling and Kiyan Anthony combined for 14 points on 5/24 shooting, while Naithan George had just five points and four assists.
Four different players scored in double-figures for the Jayhawks, with Tre White (15 points), Flory Bidunga (13 points and 13 rebounds) and Bryson Tiller (11 points and 8 rebounds) notably leading the way.
Both teams stormed out of the gate offensively. In the game’s first five minutes, Syracuse was 3/5 from the floor while Kansas was 4/8. Kingz got the Orange going on their first possession, drilling a corner three off the pass from White Jr., who also got a basket of his own to put ‘Cuse up 5-2 early. Kansas was feeding the rock early to Bidunga, who scored seven of Kansas’ first 10 points. A transition score by Kingz would put Syracuse down 10-8 at the first media timeout.
A brief cold spell for ‘Cuse saw it go without any points for almost three minutes. After two baskets from Bidunga and Tiller, the Orange suddenly faced an eight-point deficit (16-8). White Jr. would end the drought and cut that down to four after scoring inside and making both free throws shortly after.
But, the offensive lull would continue. Kansas had a run of making four straight, including a corner three from Kohl Rosario. Meanwhile, Syracuse had another stretch where it missed four in a row and made just one of its last eight attempts. The one make came on a jam from William Kyle off the assist by Starling. With under eight to go until halftime, Syracuse was shooting 29% while Anthony, Starling and Betsey were a combined 0/9 from the field.
White Jr. would again put the ball in the hoop and score his third basket of the game, but a three from Kansas’ Tre White and a couple of scores around the rim from McDowell and Tiller forced coach Adrian Autry to call timeout with the team down 13 points (30-17). It was the Orange’s largest deficit all half.
Despite the struggles, Syracuse was at least able to stay in striking distance by the time halftime arrived.
Betsey converted from three at the end of the shot clock and George drove inside for a layup. Then, after Tiller scored a couple of times inside, Starling drilled a triple from the corner to put Syracuse back within nine (34-25) heading into the second half. White Jr. led the Orange with eight points while Kingz chipped in five in the first half. For Kansas, Bidunga had an 11-8-2 statline while Tiller scored eight points on 4/6 shooting.
As the second half began, Syracuse slowly inched closer. George got the Orange going with two free throw makes, while Kyle scored on back-to-back possessions, including a slam dunk off an offensive rebound. After Jamar McDowell connected with his corner three, Betsey did the same from the wing to put ‘Cuse back within six (40-34) by the media timeout.
Each team continued to trade baskets. For Kansas, White and Council Jr. took point on offense, while for Syracuse, it was Anthony who started to find his groove. He converted on two different and-one opportunities to match the Jayhawks.
Syracuse was still down nine with 11 minutes of game time left, but after Tiller scored inside to put Kansas back up by double-figures, its offense now had an over three-minute cold stretch without points. Syracuse again slashed the Kansas lead down to 52-47 thanks to another offensive rebound and dunk by Kyle followed by a top of the key three from Starling.
Betsey would drill another three from the wing to put Syracuse now within two, but that was the closest the Orange could get in their comeback effort. Bidunga collected an offensive rebound and put it back in the hoop, then White scored six straight after an and-one basket and drawing a foul on a three-pointer. The 8-0 Jayhawks run put Syracuse down 10 points with four minutes left. While the Orange hung around until the final whistle, the deficit would be too much to overcome.
The loss to the Jayhawks mean Syracuse dropped its second-straight in Las Vegas, albeit in competitive efforts against a pair of Q1 opponents.
The Orange will play at least one more game in the Players Era Festival on either Wednesday or Thursday. The Orange’s upcoming opponent will be determined based on how the rest of the results from Tuesday play out. We’ll update you with who that is and how you can tune in once we find out.
