The Syracuse University men’s basketball team closed out non-conference play with an 80-56 victory over Cornell on Tuesday inside the Carrier Dome.
The Big Red hung around for awhile. The visitors only trailed by two with six minutes to play in the first half.
Syracuse closed out the half with a 22-7 run, to head into the locker room with a 17-point advantage.
Tyler Lydon led the way with 20 points, while Taurean Thompson came through with another impressive performance.
Thompson scored 18 points in 22 minutes of action.
The freshman big man also chipped in with seven rebounds and two blocks.
Two other players finished in double figures for the Orange.
Tyus Battle dropped in 16 points. Andrew White failed to make any of his five three-point shot attempts, but still finished with 12 points.
Troy Whiteside paced Cornell with 13 points.
Syracuse heads into ACC play with an 8-5 record — the worst non-conference record ever under Jim Boeheim.
Next up is the ACC opener on Sunday at Boston College. The Orange will tip-off against the Eagles on New Year’s Day at 12:30.
BC is 7-6 on the season, with losses to the likes of Nicholls State and Hartford.
Syracuse now leads the all-time series with Cornell 91-31.
