SYRACUSE, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive stands and offensive droughts, Syracuse used a decisive second-half push to pull away from Saint Joseph’s for a 71-63 victory in nonconference men’s basketball Thursday night at the Carrier Dome.

A crowd of 12,584 saw the Orange improve to 5-3, while the Hawks fell to 6-4.

The contest was a grind from the outset, with both teams struggling to find consistent scoring rhythm. Syracuse, however, leveraged its size and defensive presence, particularly from forward William Kyle, to create separation in the final 10 minutes. The Orange finished with seven blocked shots, four from Kyle, and held Saint Joseph’s to 35.7% shooting from the field and a frigid 19.2% from 3-point range.

The most critical stretch of the game came midway through the second half with Syracuse clinging to a 43-40 lead. The Hawks, who had battled to stay within striking distance, went scoreless for over four minutes. During that drought, Syracuse engineered an 8-0 run, capped by a Nate Kingz 3-pointer assisted by Kiyan Anthony with 12:20 remaining, to build a 51-40 advantage. Saint Joseph’s would not get the deficit back to single digits until the final minute.

Deuce Jones led all scorers for Saint Joseph’s with 18 points and added five assists, fighting to keep the Hawks in contention. Jaiden Glover added 14 points, and Dasear Haskins contributed 10. But the Hawks’ offense, which managed just 90.2 points per 100 possessions, was undone by 5-for-26 shooting from beyond the arc and 13 turnovers.

Syracuse countered with a more balanced and efficient attack, posting an offensive rating of 99.6. Tyler Betsey provided a crucial scoring spark off the bench, leading the Orange with 16 points, including three 3-pointers. Kyle was a force inside, recording 12 points, four blocks and a game-high nine rebounds. Kingz also scored 14 points, while Naithan George orchestrated the offense with 10 points and three assists, and JJ Starling chipped in 11 points.

The first half set the tone for a defensive struggle. Saint Joseph’s opened with an early burst, but Syracuse responded with a 9-0 run to take a lead it would not relinquish. The Orange led 34-30 at halftime despite shooting only 15 of 28 from the free-throw line in the game, a recurring issue that kept the Hawks within reach.

Saint Joseph’s won the battle on the offensive glass, grabbing 12 rebounds to Syracuse’s five, and scored 16 fast-break points to the Orange’s 11. But those second-chance opportunities and transition baskets were not enough to overcome Syracuse’s superior half-court defense and timely shot-making.

The victory allowed Syracuse to bounce back from a difficult stretch at the Maui Invitational, where it suffered three losses against top competition. Saint Joseph’s saw a three-game winning streak snapped despite coming off a dramatic one-point road win at Temple.

Syracuse will look to build momentum when it hosts Hofstra on Saturday. Saint Joseph’s returns home to face Delaware State next Thursday.