Syracuse 70, Boston College 56: Freshman Kaleb Joseph enjoyed the best game of his collegiate career, matching his season best with 14 points on 7-of-7 shooting to fuel the visiting Orange to an ACC triumph.

Michael Gbinije scored a game-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and Trevor Cooney added 15 points for Syracuse (16-8, 7-4), which improved to 1-1 since the school self imposed a postseason ban for violations committed in previous seasons. Orange leading scorer Rakeem Christmas was held to single figures for the first time since Thanksgiving, although he did have 10 rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists to go with his seven points.

Aaron Brown scored 19 points to pace Boston College (9-14, 1-10), which has lost five straight games. Olivier Hanlan chipped in 16 points for the Eagles, who were crushed on the glass, 33-23, and managed only four offensive rebounds on their 28 missed shots.

Syracuse's lead was as large as 21-13 in the first half before the visitors settled for a 28-24 lead at the break. Hanlan knocked down two foul shots, a jumper and a 3-pointer to draw Boston College into a 34-34 tie early in the second stanza before Joseph's jumper and Gbinije's 3-pointer gave the Orange the lead for good.

Hanlan's jumper shortly thereafter drew the Eagles within 41-40, but Christmas had a three-point play and B.J. Johnson drained a 3-pointer to push the margin to seven. Hanlan's bucket with just over six minutes left made it 58-50, but the Orange scored the next nine points - including a furious transition dunk by Joseph - to go ahead by 17 with 3 1/2 minutes left.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Gbinije has averaged 20.7 points on 71.1 percent shooting in the last three games. ... Joseph entered shooting 38.5 percent on the season. He had shot above 50 percent only twice in the team's first 23 games. ... Johnson gave the Orange a lift off the bench, knocking down four 3-pointers en route to 12 points. He also had four rebounds and two blocks.