No. 5 Syracuse 69, No. 23 Indiana 52: Trevor Cooney knocked down five 3-pointers for the third time in four games and scored 21 points as the host Orange pounded the Hoosiers in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Freshman guard Tyler Ennis added 17 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and four steals for Syracuse (8-0), which has won five straight against Indiana. The Orange have opened each of the last six seasons with eight consecutive victories.
Noah Vonleh went 13-of-16 from the foul line and led the Hoosiers (6-2) with 17 points. Yogi Ferrell had 12 points on four 3-pointers and was the only other player to finish in double figures for Indiana, which went a span of 12:43 in the second half without a basket.
Indiana missed its first seven shots and Syracuse came out of the gate with the game's first 10 points behind two 3-pointers from Cooney before the Hoosiers rallied with seven straight. Following a brief spurt by the Orange to stretch the lead to nine with 6:21 left before the break, Ferrell drained 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to cap a 13-3 run to give Indiana its only lead of the contest.
Cooney closed the first half with a basket and sparked a 12-0 surge early in the second half with his fourth 3-pointer after the Hoosiers tied the game at 33. Following a free throw from Vonleh to stop Indiana’s 6:12 scoreless stretch with 11:39 left, Cooney and Ennis combined to score Syracuse’s next 15 points as the Orange stretched the lead to as many as 21 points.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Vonleh accounted for two of Indiana’s three baskets over the first 18:01 of the second half and assisted on the other field goal. … Syracuse, which has won 46 straight non-conference games at home, held the Hoosiers to six second-half field goals and a season-low point total. … Indiana F Austin Etherington was ejected with 9:19 remaining due to a flagrant-two foul when referees determined his contact with Cooney on a breakaway layup was severe and excessive.
Indiana | Syracuse | |
Noah Vonleh 17 | Scoring | Trevor Cooney 21 |
Kevin Ferrell 2 | Assists | Tyler Ennis 8 |
Noah Vonleh 6 | Rebounds | Tyler Ennis 7 |
Noah Vonleh 13 | Free Throws Made | C.J. Fair 5 |
Troy Williams 2 | Steals | Trevor Cooney 4 |
Noah Vonleh 3 | Blocks | Rakeem Christmas 3 |