Syracuse, N.Y. — In an exciting matchup on Wednesday night, Syracuse University secured an 82-72 victory over Cornell, marking their 44th consecutive win in this rivalry. Freshman Donnie Freeman emerged as a key player, scoring a career-high 23 points, while fellow freshman Elijah Moore contributed significantly with 19 points, also a personal best for him.

Freeman’s performance included a notable 12 rebounds, earning him his third career double-double, whereas Moore recorded a season-high seven rebounds. Despite a slow start where Syracuse fell behind 20-11 early in the game, they turned the tide with a remarkable 33-9 scoring spree to conclude the first half, going into halftime with a 39-28 advantage. The Orange struggled initially, hitting only three of their first 19 shots, but regained their rhythm, making 12 of their subsequent 21 attempts.

A crucial moment in the first half was a dominant 15-0 run by Syracuse, during which Cornell faltered, missing six consecutive shots. Moore managed to score 13 points in the first half, surpassing his previous high of eight, while Freeman added 10 points alongside nine rebounds. Each team turned the ball over throughout the game, but Syracuse recorded a total of only six turnovers, their lowest since a game last December against Notre Dame.

In addition to Freeman and Moore, J.J. Starling contributed 12 points for Syracuse (4-2), enabling the team to exert control in the paint, outscoring Cornell 40-24 and securing a significant rebounding margin of 48-35. For Cornell (4-3), the standout player was Guy Ragland Jr., who led with 17 points. Cooper Noard and Nazir Williams both added 16 points to the team total, while AK Okereke scored 10 points.

Looking ahead, Syracuse will face No. 7 Tennessee in the upcoming SEC/ACC Men’s Challenge on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Cornell is set to travel to Colgate for their next game on Wednesday.