Syracuse holds off Northeastern 91–83 despite late-game lapse

Syracuse was unimpressive but held on for a 91-83 win over Northeastern on Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome, as a familiar late-game lapse left the Orange frustrated despite the victory.

Syracuse led by 10 at halftime and extended the margin to 13 with 4:29 remaining. Northeastern responded with an 11-3 run in under three minutes, cutting the deficit to five with 1:35 left and forcing Syracuse to finish at the free-throw line.

“We can’t do that. I think that’s the biggest thing that we struggle with,” head coach Adrian Autry said. “This is like two or three games that we’ve had this. We’ve got to be able to push through that because it’s taken away from some of the stuff that we’re doing well.”

The Orange surrendered 20 points in the final five minutes and were outscored 52-50 in the second half, marking the third consecutive game Syracuse has been outscored after halftime.

“The game goes by so fast when you’re actually playing,” freshman guard Kiyan Anthony said. “You see you’re up 15, you can look up and two minutes later you’re up five or six points.”

Northeastern’s 83 points were the second-most Syracuse has allowed this season.

“We put up some numbers today, but it was at the expense of our defense,” Autry said. “We just haven’t been able to get our defensive intensity sustained since the Tennessee game, to be honest with you. So, we got to get that back.”

Junior guard Naithan George led Syracuse with a season-high 22 points, going 12 of 14 from the free-throw line while adding six assists.

“These guys weren’t really too good guarding one-on-one,” George said. “If the pass wasn’t there, then it was for me to go finish at the basket.”

Anthony added 18 points on 5-of-6 shooting, while seniors William Kyle III and Nate Kingz and sophomore Tyler Betsey each scored 14. It was Syracuse’s fourth consecutive game with five players in double figures.

Senior guard J.J. Starling scored nine points on 3-of-9 shooting in 28 minutes. He said inconsistency and a loss of focus led to late-game struggles.

“Mental lapses — I guess that’s what I can attribute it to,” Starling said. “When we have those in that span of time, we really pay for it as a team.”

This marked the fifth game this season in which the Orange, despite being heavy favorites, had the outcome decided by fewer than 10 points, including narrow victories over Monmouth, St. Joseph’s and Mercyhurst, and a one-point loss to Hofstra eight days ago.

“We really had to do a better job of keying in and really putting them away, bumping that lead up to 20 or 25. We didn’t do that,” Anthony said. “We haven’t had a blowout game in a minute, so we’re looking forward to one of those.”

Syracuse made 34 free throws — its most since February 2025 — and shot 71% overall, surpassing 70% for the third time this season and the second time in three games.

The Orange shot 51% from the field and went 3-of-12 from three-point range. They were outscored 40-36 in the paint.

George emphasized that aggressiveness could unlock a more consistent offense.

“We’ve got a super-talented team, so anybody could beat anyone or any team off the dribble,” he said. “We’ve got strong guys, quick guards and we’re very versatile.”

Syracuse improved to 8-4 in nonconference play and 7-1 at home, but it was another uneven showing. With conference play approaching, Autry wants his players to be more accountable.

“I’m never satisfied. My players will tell you that,” Autry said. “I always think that my players can get better. As a coach, that’s my job — to get them better. We break everything down for them. At the end of the day, they have to start stepping up and taking accountability as well.”

The Orange will have to wait to welcome back Donnie Freeman, who has been out with injury since the fourth game of the year. He participated in warmups and is expected to return for Syracuse’s ACC opener against Clemson on New Year’s Eve.

Syracuse finishes its nonconference schedule against Stonehill on Monday at the Dome at 7p.m.