SYRACUSE, N.Y. – IUP men's basketball opened the exhibition season impressively, leading well into the second half before dropping an 86-68 decision to Syracuse on Tuesday night at the JMA Wireless Dome.
IUP, ranked second nationally in the NCAA Division II preseason power rankings, annually play top-caliber Division I competition in exhibition play. The Crimson Hawks shot 39.1% from the floor and held the lead until the 11-minute mark in the second half before Syracuse pulled away with balanced scoring.
Dave Morris logged a game-high 21 points with 10 assists and five rebounds, while
Ethan Porterfield bounced back from a slow start with 17 points and five boards.
Tomiwa Sulaiman was efficient underneath, dropping in 12 points in 24 minutes on 6-of-8 shooting.
Syracuse received a team-high 17 points from Joseph Girard III, who added five assists and two rebounds in 17 minutes. The Orange played 12 players on the night, placing four in double figures. IUP led for 14:47 of the contest and held a 15-14 edge in offensive rebounds, showing no shortage of positives heading into the 2022-23 campaign.
IUP stuck right with Syracuse throughout the opening half in a stanza that featured six ties and seven lead changes. Morris pulled up from just ahead of half court, drilling the long shot for a 33-32 advantage at intermission.
Trailing 7-2 early, IUP fought back and moved ahead with a triple from Morris at 14:57.
Kyle Polce lined up a trey, knotting the score at 13.
Damir Brooks finished from the baseline for his first collegiate basket as the Crimson Hawks remained within striking distance at the under-eight media timeout.
Morris helped IUP regain the lead with a straightaway triple, moving IUP in front at 23-22.
Ethan Porterfield splashed in his first three of the evening, part of a 10-2 scoring run that pushed the Crimson Hawks ahead by four at 28-24. The Crimson Hawks went on a brief scoreless drought before Sulaiman, who lead all scorers in the opening half with 10 points, converted a stickback.
Porterfield sealed in the low post for a turnaround shot in the second half, stretching the IUP lead to 37-34. He canned his second three of the might on the next trip down the floor before
Shawndale Jones converted an acrobatic fast break for a 42-36 lead. Polce scored off a go-ahead feed from Morris for a 48-44 advantage at the 14:23 mark of the second half.
Morris nailed his fourth three-point bucket for a 54-47 IUP lead, handing the dynamic guard a game-high 18 points. The Orange rattled off a 16-0 run, spanning over four minutes, to regain the momentum for their first lead of the half about midway through.
Syracuse opened up some breathing room after the under-eight timeout, continuing to heat up from the floor with another scoring run. The Orange built a cushion for the remainder of the half.
The Crimson Hawks previously played Syracuse in 2016, also challenging itself against Illinois (2021), Kentucky (2018), Villanova (2016), Pittsburgh (2012 and 2014), South Florida (2014), Michigan State (2013), La Salle (2013), Maryland (2012), Florida State (2011) and Georgia Tech (2010).
Up Next
IUP closes out the exhibition slate against another ACC opponent, traveling to face Miami on Sunday, October 30 at 2:00 p.m.
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP men's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_MBB.
