From start to finish, Syracuse pounds Chaminade 105-56

Field Level Media|published: Wed 22nd November, 23:38 2023

Nov 22, 2023; Honolulu, HI, USA; Syracuse Orange center Naheem McLeod (10) dunks the ball between defenders Chaminade Silverswords forward Wyatt Lowell (25) and forward Chris Bready (3) during the first period at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. credits: Steven Erler-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Bell scored a game-high 18 points as Syracuse placed seven players in double figures in a 105-56 pounding of Chaminade Wednesday night, winning the seventh-place game in the Maui Invitational in Honolulu.

After shooting woes in losses to No. 7 Tennessee and No. 11 Gonzaga in which it produced 56 and 57 points, respectively, Syracuse (4-2) found its touch against host Chaminade (1-5), with Bell going 7 of 13 with five rebounds.

Justin Taylor totaled 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Kyle Cuffe Jr. had 13 and J.J. Starling had 12 points, five rebounds and five assists. Maliq Brown scored 12 points, and Quadir Copeland managed 10 points and eight assists.

In finishing the tournament with their first victory in three games on the island, the Orange got a strong game from 7-foot-4 center Naheem McLeod, who played the previous two seasons at Florida State.

McLeod recorded 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting and collected nine boards.

The Atlantic Coast Conference team made 44 of 78 field goals (56.4 percent) and was 12 of 30 from long range (40 percent).

Syracuse held a 55-30 advantage in rebounds and a 54-28 edge in points in the paint.

For the Silverswords, Ross Reeves had 13 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Jamir Thomas recorded 12 points and seven rebounds.

Early on, Syracuse used its size advantage to go on a 19-3 run in under five minutes to take a 35-10 lead with Starling pacing the way with eight points.

Syracuse's largest lead of the opening frame was 34 points, holding a 52-18 halftime edge on an inbounds lob dunk to McLeod and a putback at the buzzer.

McLeod topped the Orange with 11 points in the explosive half.

Starling, a transfer from Notre Dame, and Bell totaled 10 points each.

The Orange connected on 23 of 40 shots (57.5 percent).

Chaminade made just one of its final 11 shots and missed 28 of its 36 attempts from the field (16.7 percent) in an ice-cold shooting half. For the game, Chaminade shot just 30 percent (21 of 70).

—Field Level Media

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