Syracuse Orange Stumble Against Ranked Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor

In a highly anticipated conference game, the Syracuse Orange faced off against the 14-ranked Duke Blue Devils, resulting in a 66-86 defeat for the visitors. The Orange now stand with an even record, while the Blue Devils improved their tally in what was a high-scoring affair.

The game took place at the iconic Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, where a packed crowd of 9,314 fans witnessed an intense battle on the court. The Syracuse Orange started strong, matching almost point-for-point with Duke in the first half and ending it slightly behind at 33-35. However, as play resumed after halftime, Duke's offense surged to add another 51 points to their score compared to Syracuse's consistent performance with another 33 points.

The Syracuse team showcased commendable accuracy from the free-throw line with an impressive 82 percent completion rate but struggled beyond the arc with only a 25 percent success rate from three-point attempts. Despite these challenges, they managed to accumulate significant points inside paint totaling 32 and secured nine fast break points which kept them competitive throughout much of the game.

Defensively though, Syracuse managed three blocks and seven steals but couldn't contain Duke's aggressive play that led to them scoring a substantial number of points off turnovers (26) and dominating inside paint (46). The home team also outperformed in assists turnover ratio at 1.9 compared to Syracuse's lower ratio of just over half that amount.

One notable aspect for Syracuse was their rebounding effort; they collected a total of 31 rebounds—25 defensive and five offensive—which demonstrated their tenacity on both ends of the floor. However, personal fouls were an area where discipline waned as they committed eighteen fouls over the course of play.

Looking ahead for fans of The Orange: Their next challenge will be against Boston College Eagles back home at JMA Wireless Dome located in Syracuse NY on January 10th at around nine o'clock PM Eastern Time. This upcoming match can be viewed nationally on ACC Network channel six hundred twelve ensuring supporters won't miss any action from this encounter.