WATCH: Syracuse's Elijah Hughes Swats Shot, Brissett Blocks The Next | Jim Boeheim's Son Buddy Boeheim Catches Fire In 1st Half
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Elijah Hughes tied a career-high with 22 points, and Syracuse hit 14 3-pointers to rout Miami 73-53 on Thursday night.
Syracuse (14-5, 5-1 ACC) has won seven of their last eight and three in a row. Miami (9-9, 1-5) has lost five of six.
Hughes was 6-of-9 shooting from long range and also blocked three shots. Buddy Boeheim added 12 points for the Orange. Tyus Battle had 10 points and a career-best nine assists. Paschal Chukwu had five blocks.
The Orange held a slim 32-29 lead at the break but outscored the Hurricanes 41-24 in the second half. Syracuse had a 42-39 margin with 15 minutes to go and went on a 19-5 run to take control.
Syracuse, the seventh best 3-point shooting team in the ACC, hit a season-high 14 of 30 from beyond the arc. It was the third straight game the Orange have had double-digit 3s. Frank Howard and Boeheim were each 3-of-6 shooting from long range. The Orange shot 50 percent from the field.
Dejan Vasiljevic led Miami with 11 points, the lone Hurricane to score in double digits.
Miami took a 17-11 lead in the early going on the strength of two 3-pointers by Anthony Mack. The Orange scored six straight on a 3-point play by Oshae Brissett and a 3 by Howard, one of three first-half 3s for the Syracuse point guard. After the Hurricanes took a 20-17 lead on a 3-pointer by Zach Johnson, Boeheim, who hit a career-high four 3s in Saturday's win over Pitt, hit consecutive 3-pointers to give the Orange their first lead at 23-22.
Syracuse extended to their largest lead in the half at 31-24 on a 3 by Hughes, another 3 by Boeheim and a lay-in by Hughes on a Miami goaltend. Boeheim scored 10 in the first half and hit a foul shot to close out the scoring, giving Syracuse a 32-29 lead at the break.
Battle, Syracuse's leading scorer, was 0 for 3 from the field in the first half.
BIG PICTURE:
Miami: The undermanned Hurricanes, who dress just seven scholarship players, are on the brink of a season going out of control with upcoming games against Florida State, Virginia Tech and Virginia.
Syracuse: The Orange are hitting their stride on offense. Point guard Frank Howard is getting into form and Buddy Boeheim is providing spark off the bench.
UP NEXT:
Miami hosts in-state rival Florida State on Sunday.
The Orange heads south for a matchup Saturday against No. 10 Virginia Tech.