Syracuse (10-3) took down Texas Southern (1-10), 80-67, in the Carrier Dome on Sunday in its final nonconference matchup.

The Orange got out to a slow start, with the game tied at 22 with less than five minutes to go in the first half, but used an 8-0 run heading into halftime to break the game open.

Texas Southern forward Derek Griffin dominated inside with a game-high 20 points — 10 off alley-oops in the first half — and was a perfect 9-for-9 shooting. The Tigers outscored the Orange, 34-30, in the paint.

Syracuse will head into Atlantic Coast Conference play at Pittsburgh on Wednesday night.

Here are three things we learned from SU’s win over the Tigers.

Michael Gbinije is “not going to come out of the game”

For the third time all season, Michael Gbinije played every minute of the game. He didn’t sub out in losses to Wisconsin and Georgetown earlier in the year.

Texas Southern wasn’t the caliber of either of those two teams, but Gbinije is the Orange’s most dangerous player and led the team with 15 points in his 40 minutes. He also tied with center Dajuan Coleman for a team-high seven rebounds in the game.

“He’s not going to come out of the game,” SU interim head coach Mike Hopkins said. “He’s too valuable, in great shape, he’s as good as anybody in our league and maybe even in the country.”

Frank Howard is getting the nod over Kaleb Joseph

Frank Howard scored six points, grabbed three steals and totaled a career-high 19 minutes on the court, while Kaleb Joseph sat on the bench.

Despite the praise of Jim Boeheim and Mike Hopkins prior to the season, last year’s starting point guard Joseph played in only the final 19 seconds of the first half. Texas Southern’s Jerron Martin hit a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left before halftime on the right wing that Joseph was guarding.

Joseph had been averaging more minutes than Howard, but in the last two games Howard has seen 18 and 19 minutes of action compared to Joseph’s 13 and 0-plus.

Syracuse will rely on transition offense

Mike Hopkins said that the Orange is a “different team” when it can get into a rhythm with transition offense. Against Texas Southern, Syracuse managed 14 steals and scored 18 points off of turnovers.

The Orange pushed the floor after steals and was able to either drive to the lane for a layup or dish outside for the open 3-point attempt.

“I think the best time to get 3s is in transition because the defense isn’t set,” Hopkins said. “The one thing about the zone is that teams try and kill you on the offensive glass, and the great equalizer is transition.

“When you have the caliber of shooters that we have, and the speed that we have, those things become major assets, that’s our strength.”

The interim head coach added that it’s hard to get quality 3s against great defenses and the Orange will have to keep hoisting 3s in transition, regardless of whether they go in or not.

Published on December 27, 2015 at 7:43 pm