Chris Bell scored 23 points and Judah Mintz had 21 as Syracuse won its fourth straight game, 82-76, against host Louisville on Saturday evening.
Maliq Brown chipped in 10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Orange (20-10, 11-8 ACC), who shot 57.8 percent from the floor and were an efficient 5-of-8 from 3-point range (including 3 of 5 by Bell).
Four players scored in double figures for the Cardinals (8-21, 3-15), who lost their fifth straight game. Mike James led the way with 18 points, while Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (17 points, 11 rebounds), Kaleb Glenn (15 points) and Tre White (12 points) also made key contributions.
After trailing by 11 points at halftime, Louisville made a push early in the second half. A dunk by James got the hosts within 48-42 and then a 3-pointer by White shortly thereafter made it a five-point game.
The Cardinals’ momentum didn’t last long, however, as the Orange quickly embarked on a 12-0 run to go ahead 64-47. Bell’s 3-pointer started the decisive run, helping the visitors build a lead that they eventually extended to 71-52 with 7:15 remaining.
Louisville did not go away, though. The Cardinals made eight free throws during a 10-0 run to get within 71-62 with 4:53 left. Skyy Clark’s 3-pointer made it 74-67 with just under 3 1/2 minutes remaining and James’ 3-pointer with 39 seconds cut Louisville’s deficit to four.
Syracuse’s Justin Taylor made four free throws in the final 31 seconds to seal the win.
The Orange led by as many as nine early in the game before the Cardinals got within 29-26 with less than five minutes remaining in the first half.
However, Syracuse began to gain separation with a 10-2 run over the final three minutes of the opening period. Mintz scored six points during that burst, including a late dunk that gave the Orange a 39-28 lead at intermission.
–Field Level Media