Syracuse, N.Y. - The Syracuse basketball team is all set to face off against the Texas Longhorns at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. This highly anticipated game will kick off on ESPNews and later transfer to ESPN2 after the Charleston Classic quarterfinal. Fans can stay updated with in-game team and individual stats here. Remember to keep refreshing this page throughout the game to catch the latest updates. Sign up for Donna Ditota's 'Posting Up' newsletter to get more Orange basketball analysis. Try it for free!

Fan Engagement and Access

Fans can stream the entire 2024-25 Syracuse Orange season on fuboTV. For those looking to attend the game, SeatGeek offers cheap tickets to see the Orange. Fanatics also has a wide collection of Syracuse Orange gear available for online shopping.

First Half Struggles

Texas started the game with a 9-0 run, putting Syracuse in a tough spot. At halftime, Syracuse trailed Texas by 11 with a score of Syracuse 30, Texas 41. The Orange's slow start allowed Texas to establish a lead. They struggled to get shots off from mid-range and had limited success from the three-point line, shooting 3-for-12. Donnie Freeman scored the final triple with six seconds remaining in the first half. However, Syracuse managed to close the gap to eight points after Texas went without a field goal for over two minutes. But Texas brought the lead back to double digits and maintained it through the rest of the half. Texas shot 61% from the field despite having three scoring droughts. Despite early struggles, Syracuse avoided early foul trouble with only two players having two personal fouls and six with none. Texas also out-rebounded Syracuse 17-13 in the first half.

Second Half Battles

As the second half began, Syracuse faced challenges. With 3:47 remaining, Syracuse 21, Texas 35, Texas' Ze'rik Onyema was called for a personal foul, his second of the game. The Orange tried to close the gap but Texas regained a double-digit lead with three consecutive made field goals. Syracuse made only two triples against Texas and was shooting 36% from the field. Texas, on the other hand, was shooting 58% from the field with three made three-pointers. With 7:23 remaining, Syracuse 14, Texas 27, Texas was held in a scoring drought for over two minutes, giving Syracuse a chance to narrow the deficit. Jyare Davis scored his first points and tied Starling to lead the Orange's offense with six points. At 10:29 remaining, Syracuse 10, Texas 22, Eddie Lampkin got his first points in the game with a deep paint score and an and-one. Chris Bell also scored his first point from the free throw line. Texas' Arthur Kaluma and Tramon Mark led all scorers with six points each. With 15:35 remaining, Syracuse 3, Texas 9, J.J. Starling scored Syracuse's first points over four minutes into the contest. The Orange were shooting just 17% from the field, while Texas hadn't scored in the last two minutes. With 17:35 remaining, Syracuse 0, Texas 9, Texas took a 9-0 lead and forced a quick turnover. Syracuse used a 30-second timeout.

Notable Players and Moments

Syracuse's nail-biting 3-0 start was highlighted by J.J. Starling's 38-point performance against Youngstown State. 31 of his points came in the second half and both overtime frames, the most by an Orange since February 2022. Graduate transfer Eddie Lampkin has been a key player in the paint, scoring at least 10 points in all three games. He and Donnie Freeman have recorded double-doubles in back-to-back games. For Texas, guard Tre Johnson is averaging 23.5 points per game as a freshman and has scored at least 18 points in all four games. Limiting his options will be crucial for Syracuse's defense, especially by eliminating Texas' mid-range shots and fast breaks.