From his third-row seat behind the basket, Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack turned to his left and smiled.

“Let’s just get the win,” he said to a friend nearby.

Wildhack was only half-joking. The Orange were up four points with four minutes remaining against Cornell, a team to which SU hasn’t lost in 50 years. Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim had thrown his jacket. His tie had been loosened. The Carrier Dome crowd was getting antsy. Big Red point guard Matt Morgan put on a shooting clinic, scoring 26 points and nearly leading Cornell to a major upset.

But behind junior guard Tyus Battle’s team-high 26 points, Syracuse (5-2) beat Cornell (4-4), 63-55, Saturday night in the Carrier Dome. The Orange have won three consecutive games and could squeeze into the Top 25 after beating No. 16 Ohio State earlier this week.

Against the Big Red, sophomore forward Oshae Brissett scored 19 points. Cornell’s Jimmy Boeheim, the oldest child of Syracuse’s head coach, scored nine points, including his second career 3-pointer in front of the Orange bench.

Here are four quick takeaways from the game.

Battle’s hot hand

It didn’t matter where he was on the floor. It didn’t matter who was guarding him. Nor did it matter whether he was shooting off the dribble or shooting on the run. Battle got cooking early and found his jumper, not hesitating to rise into his shot from 3-point range and the 17-foot area. He drove a handful of times, too, assembling his most impressive game of the season. His shot has wavered this season, but Saturday the shot appeared fluid and quick.

Battle’s strong scoring display is important for a Syracuse team that needs his consistent production to win games. Especially on nights when Elijah Hughes and Marek Dolezaj score only four and two points each, respectively.

Where’s Paschal?

Paschal Chukwu, Syracuse’s 7-foot-2 center in his second season as a starter, has struggled through the first seven games of his senior year. He didn’t attempt a single shot against Oregon two weeks ago and didn’t score until the beginning of the second half against Cornell, whose tallest player is five inches shorter than him. Chukwu scored just three points Saturday, though he did block a Jimmy Boeheim shot that would have tied the game at 52 with about five minutes left. The block prompted a loud roar from the crowd.

Yet for the majority of his minutes this season, Chuwku hasn’t been aggressive, active or efficient in his time. It’s imperative he develops into, at minimum, the player he was last season come conference play. That means someone who alters shots, scores off offensive rebounds and doesn’t shy away from going up strong inside.

Morgan’s proving ground

Morgan couldn’t help himself. Contested 3-pointer after contest 3-pointer poured through the net. The Carrier Dome crowd was in an awe after every one that he drained. The senior point guard, Cornell’s leading scorer, put on a show that kept the Big Red within a bucket or two late in the second half. His shooting display was an anomaly against the Orange, but it does raise questions over how well Syracuse can guard perimeter shooters. Several times Boeheim fumed after a Morgan 3-pointer. Even still, SU held Cornell to 55 points.

Taking care of the tuneups

While the Orange lost two of their first four games for the first time in 31 seasons, SU has now won three in a row. One win came against No. 16 Ohio State on the road. The other two versus Colgate and Cornell at home. SU’s six remaining nonconference games come against stronger teams than the latter two. But the Orange are projected to win out the rest of its nonconference schedule, per kenpom.com, and head into the ACC opener at Notre Dame with an 11-2 record.

The Orange play next on Tuesday night in the Carrier Dome against Northeastern. Then, SU hosts Georgetown on Saturday afternoon.

Published on December 1, 2018 at 10:00 pm

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21