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Syracuse hosted Cornell Tuesday after a season-worst 22-point defeat at Virginia to open Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Jumping out to a quick 13-point lead, the Orange looked comfortable in the early going. Yet, in the waning minutes before the break, the Big Red caught fire from deep. A series of makes from 3 morphed into an 11-1 run which brought Cornell within three entering the second half.

But, Syracuse was able to maintain control. Though Cornell came to as close as three with under three minutes left, SU converted clutch baskets and held strong for a series of defensive stops.

Despite picking up four fouls, Judah Mintz exploded for a game-best 28 points while Justin Taylor (15) and Chris Bell (19) both finished in double-digit scoring. Though spurred on by Cooper Noard’s team-high total of 15, the Big Red couldn’t complete a comeback — one they had many opportunities to achieve.

Here are some observations from Syracuse’s (6-3, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) 81-70 win over Cornell (7-2, 0-0 Ivy League):

Bell remains impressive

Notching double-digit point totals in five of Syracuse’s eight games to begin the 2023-24 season, Bell has developed into a reliable second scoring option behind Mintz.

Against Colgate on Nov. 14, he produced a career-high 25 points, including six 3-pointers. A few games later, he totaled another 20 points in SU’s blowout 80-57 victory over LSU.

Against Cornell Tuesday evening, Bell cashed in on an open 3 from straight-on to open his scoring. In the paint, he committed to contending for rebounds on either end of the floor. And after missing an open look on one play, he raced back to register an emphatic chasedown block — one of two he had in the opening half. Then, Bell let it fly from the left corner off of a Mintz assist for his second trifecta of the ballgame.

To begin the second half, Bell flashed his prowess driving inside. Peeling off of a Naheem McLeod screen, Bell burrowed deep into the paint before rising over Noard for a righty layup. On the very next offensive possession for SU, Mintz fed him for another 3.

Bell built his point total to 19 by creating his own shot on the left wing. Several paces behind the 3-point arc amid a stagnant Syracuse possession, Bell performed a hesitation dribble before splashing his fifth 3 of the evening. He ended up with 19 points.

3-pointers early and often

By the end of the first half, Cornell and Syracuse had combined for 37 3-point tries. Neither side necessarily took ill-advised attempts, yet evidently preferred opting for jumpers from range. Some were rushed and took place early in the shot clock, but neither head coach expressed displeasure regarding shot selection from the sidelines.

With 12:25 remaining before the break, Mintz had already tallied two 3-point makes for a then-game-high six points. Taylor added a pair of his own and Bell tacked on one as well. For the Big Red, DJ Nix and Nazir Williams shot with minimal hesitation for a total of two makes off of six perimeter shots.

At the 1:43 mark, Noard misfired on a corner 3 which Bell heavily contested. The choice to fire over the much larger Bell was questionable, especially since the Big Red had numbers after Guy Ragland Jr. corralled a loose ball near mid-court to spur a fast break opportunity.

On the next possession, Cornell’s Keller Boothby canned a 3 from the left corner. Then, Noard exacted revenge by swishing one from the same spot to cap off an 11-1 run to end the opening half.

The trend of continuous outside shooting was sustained throughout the second half. Finding more success from the perimeter, SU ended up shooting 40.6% from 3. Cornell, meanwhile, recorded a lowly 27.3% clip.

A Mintz makeover

Mintz followed up a career-high 33 points against LSU by mustering a lackluster five-point display at Virginia in SU’s first ACC contest. But on Tuesday, any memory of his prior offensive struggles seemed to be dashed.

Aggressive drives to the cup and efficient shooting translated into 11 first-half points. Mintz was his old self again. He drew contact near the rim for opportunities at the free-throw line. He stayed patient around the perimeter in search of SU’s best shot and tallied two assists.

But with 12:32 remaining in the opening half, Mintz’s prolific outside jumper grabbed headlines. He drained a career-high five makes from 3-point range which eclipsed his previous single-game-best of four, achieved on Feb. 22, 2023, at Clemson when he went 4-for-4 from deep.

Though Mintz’s evening was cut short after the point guard picked up his fourth foul with the majority of the second half to play, he had showcased a new layer in his already multifaceted game.

Entering the 2023-24 campaign, Mintz was often vocal about the offseason work he put in to polish his 3-point shooting. He said National Basketball Association scouts had told him to improve the facet of his game, and with 15 of his 28 points on the night coming from deep, the first glimpses of a new-look and potentially league-ready Mintz emerged.

Published on December 5, 2023 at 10:37 pm

Contact Tyler: trschiff@syr.edu | @theTylerSchiff