SYRACUSE, N.Y. — New Haven men's basketball (0-1) dropped a 74-58 road decision to Syracuse (1-0) on Monday night in the season opener at JMA Wireless Dome, where
Teshaun Steele (Worcester, Mass./Darrow School) finished with 18 points and the Chargers scored 41 points after halftime. Syracuse led 39-17 at halftime, and the Blue & Gold committed 13 turnovers to Syracuse's five while Syracuse held 13-4 margins in points off turnovers and second-chance points.
Steele scored 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting, went 2-for-2 from 3-point range and added four rebounds.
Moussa Camara (Harlem, N.Y./Eagle Academy) added 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting and three rebounds,
Tim Walker (PG County, Md./South Kent School) finished with five assists, five points and three rebounds,
Zoumana Traore (Harlem, N.Y./Millbrook School) had eight points, two made 3-pointers, four rebounds and one block, and
Tristan Burth (Bronx, N.Y./Bridgeport Preparatory School) had seven rebounds, two assists and one block.
Syracuse built an 18-0 lead before the Chargers got on the board when Camara scored a layup off an assist from Bradley Ballinger at 12:13.
Faquir Mosley (Newark, N.J./Arts) added a 3-pointer and Camara scored again to make it 20-7, but Syracuse followed with inside baskets by Abdramane Siby, Gavin Doty and Amarri Monroe to push the margin to 26-7.
Traore's fast-break 3-pointer and Steele's transition layup brought the Blue & Gold to 26-12, but Kiyan Anthony answered with a 3-pointer after a Syracuse timeout. After Camara's layup made it 32-17 at 2:20, Syracuse scored the final seven points of the half and took a 39-17 lead into halftime.
Danny Young scored at 19:40 and Traore added an early jumper after the break, but Syracuse added Luke Wilson's layup, Doty's free throws and Sadiq White Jr.'s dunk to reach 48-22. Steele hit 3-pointers at 16:10 and 13:11 before Walker connected from deep at 12:36, giving the Chargers three 3-pointers in a stretch that moved the score to 55-31.
Steele added a layup and free throw, Ballinger made a 3-pointer at 9:41, and Camara and Walker scored inside as the Blue & Gold moved to 47 points. Syracuse answered with a White dunk and later used multiple offensive rebounds before Garwey Dual's layup made it 68-47.
Traore hit a 3-pointer at 4:14 and Steele scored again at 3:42, but Syracuse finished with late free throws and an Anthony 3-pointer to close out the 74-58 result.
New Haven will travel to Rutgers University on Friday, Nov. 6, for a midnight start in Piscataway, N.J.
