Syracuse, N.Y. ― Chris Bell scored a career-high 30 points, which included an 8-for-10 performance from 3-point range, and the Syracuse Orange survived Louisville’s last-second 3-pointer for a 94-92 victory on Wednesday night at the JMA Wireless Dome.
Syracuse’s Quadir Copeland scored the deciding points on a breakaway layup that Louisville’s Kaleb Glenn goaltended with 3.8 seconds remaining.
Louisville called timeout to set up a final play. The Cardinals inbounded the ball to guard Skyy Clark, who had scored 23 points. Clark dribbled over midcourt and veered to the left wing. He lofted a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but it was well off target.
Bell’s 30 points eclipsed his previous career-high of 25 points, which came earlier this season against Colgate. His biggest shot came with 38 seconds remaining and Syracuse clinging to an 88-87 lead. He pump-faked a Louisville defender, stepped to his left and drained the clutch triple.
However, his biggest play came with less than 20 seconds remaining when he swatted away a Clark layup that could have tied the game at 91.
Copeland hit one of two free throws for a 92-89 lead, but Clark tied the game on a 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds left. Syracuse caught Louisville charging the basket and Copeland got ahead on the break for the game-winning layup.
The win improved Syracuse’s record to 15-8 overall and 6-6 in the ACC. Syracuse returned home after losing two straight on the road to Boston College and Wake Forest. The Orange avoided its first three-game losing streak of the season.
Louisville fell to 7-16 for the season and 2-10 in the conference.
It was Syracuse’s first game since the dismissal of junior forward Benny Williams on Tuesday. Williams had appeared in 18 games this season, averaging 5.4 points and 3.9 rebounds. However, he had also been suspended two times for a total of four games early in the season.
Judah Mintz scored 21 points, while JJ Starling chipped in with 19. Louisville center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield…
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