SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Chris Bell scored a career-high 25 points, Judah Mintz added 23 and Syracuse rallied from a 24-point second-half deficit to beat Colgate 79-75 on Tuesday night to avoid a third straight loss in three years to the Raiders.
Syracuse (3-0) trailed 46-30 at halftime and when the Raiders (1-1) opened the second half with eight straight points, boos were being heard at the first media timeout. But Syracuse turned turned up the defensive pressure and forced 14 second-half turnovers while Mintz and Bell combined for 32 points in winning the 175th meeting.
Bell scored 12 points in a 20-4 run to get the deficit to single digits. Then Mintz scored 10 straight and with five minutes left Syracuse trailed 66-62. After a couple Colgate baskets, Syracuse scored the next 14 points, Bell tying the game with a 3-pointer and Maliq Brown adding the final four points in the run with a steal and dunk plus two free throws for a 76-70 lead.
Nicolas Louis-Jacques’ 3-pointer got Colgate within three with 22.5 seconds left but the Raiders only added Keegan Records’ layup from there while Mintz sank three free throws.
Bell finished with six 3-pointers, Mintz, named to the Wooden Award watch list on Tuesday, had eight assists and JJ Starling added 13 points and seven rebounds.
Records had 17 points and 13 rebounds for Colgate. Braeden Smith added 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Ryan Moffatt scored 12 points and Nicolas Louis-Jacques 10. Colgate was just 1 of 9 from 3-point range in the second half after making eight in the first. The Raiders’ 19 turnovers led to 20 Syracuse points.
Colgate plays Yale on Friday in the Atlantic Slam tournament in Moncton, New Brunswick.
Syracuse plays No. 7 Tennessee on Monday in the Maui Invitational.
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