Starling, Lampkin spark SU’s comeback win over Notre Dame

Syracuse residents woke up to snow, a fitting start to the day of the Annual Blizzard GameDay for Syracuse Men’s Basketball. The Blizzard game had the student section decked head to toe in white outfits and ski gear.

After losing to Louisville earlier in the week, Syracuse defeated Notre Dame in a come-back thriller, 77-69, on Saturday in the Dome. Not only did the team enter the game in search of their third conference win, but they were also on the hunt to get back to .500 on the season. 

This is the second time these teams faced off this season. Notre Dame pulled out the 69-64 win in early December. When they played the first time, both teams were without their leading scorers. Syracuse’s JJ Starling, a junior guard, and Notre Dame’s Markus Burton, a sophomore guard, were out with injuries.  

Photo by Chelsea Reeves

Jaquan Carlos pushes forward with the ball during the Syracuse Men’s Basketball Game against Notre Dame.

They average 18.2 and 19.0 points per game, respectively. This matchup showed just how vital these players are for the Irish and Orange, as they were the high scorers for their respective teams in yet another game.  

With a little under five minutes left in the half, Burton scored 22 points by himself, while Syracuse, combined, only scored 22 points. He played strong, and the Syracuse defense could not come up with answers for his shots.

Burton finished the game with 28 points, one shy of his season-high.

As the half came to a close, the Orange cut into the lead as Elijah Moore, a freshman guard, tallied six points. This gave Syracuse momentum entering the half, closing with a strong 9-2 run lasting just over three minutes. At the end of twenty, Notre Dame was up 42 to 33. 

Photo by Chelsea Reeves

Syracuse’s Lucas Taylor guards Markus Burton. After scoring 22 points in the first half, Burton went cold after halftime, scoring only six points in the final 20 minutes.

Going into the second half, it was imperative that Syracuse figure out a way to shut down Burton and give their lead scorer, Starling, more opportunities to score points for the team if they wanted any chance to win the game. 

“Defense was the key,” said head coach Adrian Autry on the team being able to come back against the Irish. 

Starling ended the game with 21 points, 16 of which came in the second half. Autry made a switch for Starling in the second half, which led to his explosive scoring.  Starling struggled against Louisville and needed the bounce back for himself and the team. 

“Moving him below the foul line, getting him the ball, it helped him out a lot,” Autry said. This allowed him to get open easier and make decisions faster, which led to more baskets. 

Photo by Chelsea Reeves

Head coach Adrian Autry says the team’s toughness was a large part of their success against Notre Dame.

Regarding Starling’s play, Coach Autry said, “He stayed aggressive. He just kept going. We need him to be that way. He made big shots when we needed it, and it energized our guys.” 

Starling and the Orange fired in the second half, cutting the Irish lead from nine to two. However, a media timeout allowed Notre Dame to regroup, and they stayed solid until it fouled Starling on a 3-point attempt with 5:06 remaining in the game. 

In the postgame, Starling emphasized the team’s grit.

“We could’ve easily given up, but we kept fighting and didn’t give in. That was the big thing” he said. 

He made all three free throws and was able to tie the game up for the first time at 63 points. In a game where the Orange were fighting from behind for the majority, their determination allowed them to come out with the win in the end. 

Photo by Chelsea Reeves

Eddie Lampkin Jr. at Syracuse Men’s Basketball Game vs. Notre Dame. Lampkin was important to SU’s comeback.

Less than two minutes later, the Orange secured their first lead of the game thanks to Eddie Lampkin Jr.. The graduate center rebounded his own miss and went back up, finishing through the foul, putting the team up 67-65. Lampkin finished with his fourth consecutive double-double. 

Thanks to multiple Notre Dame fouls, Syracuse made seven free throws in the final seconds, securing the 77-69 win. 

“Their toughness” was Coach Autry’s immediate answer regarding what impressed him most about his players.

What began as the Burton Blizzard ended as the Starling Show. The Orange only held the lead for four minutes and one second in the game but possessed it when it mattered the most: the final buzzer.