Judah Mintz scored 25 points and JJ Starling added a season-high 21 as visiting Syracuse topped Georgetown 80-68 on Saturday afternoon in Washington, D.C.
In the 99th installment of the rivalry between former Big East foes, the Orange (7-3) got the best of the Hoyas (5-4) thanks to their sophomore backcourt and a stifling defense. Syracuse forced 14 turnovers and limited Georgetown to just 42.4 percent shooting from the field, including a 5-for-26 performance from 3-point range.
Mintz finished 13 of 15 from the free-throw line and notched five steals, while Starling — a highly regarded transfer from Notre Dame — scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half to help Syracuse pull away. Quadir Copeland chipped in 14 points for the Orange.
Jayden Epps registered 17 points and six assists to pace Georgetown, while Supreme Cook had 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting and also grabbed 10 rebounds.
Georgetown led by a point early in the second half when Syracuse started to take control. Starling knocked down a 3-pointer on a pass from Mintz, and then the latter recorded a steal and a transition layup.
Shortly thereafter, Maliq Brown scored six points in a three-minute stretch to bring the visitors’ lead to 48-41. Then with about 11 1/2 minutes left, Starling made a jumper to give the Orange their first double-digit cushion, 54-44.
The Hoyas got within five with 8 1/2 minutes to go, but Starling responded with another jumper. Then he made two free throws to begin a game-clinching 11-2 run. Mintz added five points during the decisive surge.
Neither team led by more than five points in a first half that ended with Syracuse ahead 35-34. The Orange went on a 6-2 mini-run late in the session before Wayne Bristol Jr.’s putback in the waning seconds created a one-point game at the break.
Mintz played 19 minutes in the first half and led all scorers with 14 points.
–Field Level Media