Syracuse routs Delaware State in impressive showing

Kiyan Anthony scored 19 points in his first collegiate start, while Donnie Freeman added 20 as Syracuse (2-0) rolled past Delaware State (0-2), 83-43, on Saturday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome.

The Orange got off to a fast start. Freeman knocked down a 3-pointer 16 seconds in, and Syracuse added three fast-break buckets. They opened the game on a 10-2 run, capped by Anthony attacking, drawing two defenders before finding Freeman underneath for an easy layup, prompting a Hornets timeout just over four minutes in.

“I thought Kiyan really set the tone in the first half, on the offensive end by just getting to the basket, making some plays,” head coach Adrian Autry said.

Anthony, starting in place of injured guard JJ Starling, shot 8-for-11 and hit two 3-pointers. He also had four assists.

“I think the narrative on me coming in was just, ‘He’s a good scorer,’” said the freshman guard. “I’m trying to come in here and show everybody I’m a playmaker. I can score from more than three levels.”

Anthony said this was his first time playing at 1 p.m. With the earlier start, he decided to have a pregame nap in the locker room.

“We had breakfast at 8 a.m. today. So, it was a long morning,” Anthony said. “We didn’t have time to go home, so I just kind of made my bed on the floor, put my jacket on the floor, and just fell asleep for like an hour. And then once I woke back up, got back to my routine.”

Anthony and Freeman showed strong synergy. Freeman had ten points in the opening ten minutes, shooting 4-for-5. He finished 6-for-8 from the field and 7-for-10 at the line, with five rebounds and four assists.

“I’d give [my play] a C… I feel like I’m a way better rebounder than that. I had four fouls. I didn’t like that. I missed three to four free throws, which is unacceptable as well,” Freeman said. “So I’m a hard critic.”

The Orange led 40-17 at halftime and shot 58% from the field overall, including 64% in the second half. They held the Hornets to 21% shooting and 1-for-14 from 3-point range.

“I feel like our defense is further along than the offense,” Freeman said. “We just preach being disruptive and being aggressive and… making it miserable for our opponent.”

Senior center William Kyle III anchored the defense with 13 rebounds and a career-high six blocked shots, the most by a Syracuse player in two years. The Orange finished with 12 blocks as a team.

“Will Kyle was a man tonight,” Autry said. “I just thought he really set the tone, offensive glass and defensive glass, and just protecting the rim.”

Syracuse’s defense has allowed 90 total points through its first two games, the fewest to start a season since 2014-15.

“We talked about being disruptive, hunting… That’s how we play,” Autry said. “We don’t want anyone to be comfortable… Everything is contested, whether it’s a jump shot or at the rim.”

Before the game, Autry appeared on the video board to introduce a new scoreboard feature tracking defensive stops. Each stop earns an “X” on the board, with the goal of stringing together three in a row.

“I would like the crowd to go crazy, because… that’s very hard to do, to get three stops in a row,” Autry said. “That’s something that we really worked on… to get that defensive identity.

The Orange reached the three-stop mark a few times, but it may take more games before fans fully catch on to the new initiative.

In another blowout, Autry used 11 players for the second consecutive game. He said depth will be an important element of this year’s team.

“I think this is the way this team is going to be successful,” he said. “We recruited it that way. That’s my vision. We’re going to play eight or nine guys… That’s how we’re going to play this year.”

The Orange travel to Philadelphia next to face Drexel at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday, Nov. 15. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m.