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Syracuse holds on to beat Florida State 66-62 in 1st round of ACC Tournament

AP
Mar 11, 2025

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) J.J. Starling scored 27 points, and Syracuse went 4 for 4 from the free-throw line in the final five seconds to hold on for a 66-62 victory over Florida State in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Tuesday at the Spectrum Center.

The 14th-seeded Orange (14-18) advance to play No. 6 seed SMU in the second round on Wednesday.

Starling made 12 of 23 shots with three 3-pointers and five rebounds for Syracuse. Eddie Lampkin Jr. had 14 points and nine rebounds and Jyare Davis scored 14 with six boards.

Jamir Watkins had 16 points and 11 rebounds to pace the 11th-seeded Seminoles (17-15). Reserves Daquan Davis and Jerry Deng both scored 10.

Syracuse turned the ball over and Malique Ewin scored to get Florida State within a point with nine seconds left. Ewin fouled Kyle Cuffe Jr., who made both free throws for a three-point lead.

The Orange fouled Daquan Davis with two seconds left to prevent the Seminoles from taking a 3-pointer. Davis made the first, missed the second and Jyare Davis grabbed the rebound and was fouled before hitting two foul shots to seal it.

Lampkin scored 12 and grabbed six rebounds to help Syracuse take a 30-26 lead into halftime. Jyare Davis followed his layup with a 3 to give the Orange an 8-4 lead and they never trailed over the final 17 minutes.

Starling and Davis had the first two baskets of the second half to stretch the Syracuse lead to eight. Naheem McLeod's dunk gave the Orange their largest lead at 50-34 with 13:15 remaining.

Florida State whittled away until Watkins was fouled on a 3-pointer and made three free throws to get the Seminoles within 62-59 with 48 seconds remaining.

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1st Half
SYR
Orange
30
FSU
Seminoles
26

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Seminoles gains possession)
19:48		Chandler Jackson turnover (bad pass)
19:23		J.J. Starling misses two point layup
19:21		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
18:52	+2	Taylor Bol Bowen makes two point jump shot	0-2
18:37	+3	Jaquan Carlos makes three point jump shot (J.J. Starling assists)	3-2
18:14		Justin Thomas misses three point jump shot
18:12		Malique Ewin offensive rebound
18:08	+2	Malique Ewin makes two point layup	3-4
17:54	+2	Jyare Davis makes two point layup	5-4
17:28		Chandler Jackson misses three point jump shot
17:26		Jyare Davis defensive rebound
17:14	+3	Jyare Davis makes three point jump shot (J.J. Starling assists)	8-4
17:03		Lucas Taylor personal foul
16:56	+2	Justin Thomas makes two point layup (Malique Ewin assists)	8-6
16:30	+2	Eddie Lampkin Jr. makes two point layup (Kyle Cuffe Jr. assists)	10-6
16:17		Malique Ewin misses two point jump shot
16:15		J.J. Starling defensive rebound
15:55		Taylor Bol Bowen blocks Kyle Cuffe Jr.'s two point layup
15:53		Chandler Jackson defensive rebound
15:50	+2	Malique Ewin makes two point layup (Chandler Jackson assists)	10-8
15:50		TV timeout
15:31		Justin Thomas shooting foul (J.J. Starling draws the foul)
15:31	+1	J.J. Starling makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-8
15:31		J.J. Starling misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:31		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
15:13		Jerry Deng misses three point jump shot
15:11		Eddie Lampkin Jr. defensive rebound
15:00	+2	Eddie Lampkin Jr. makes two point layup (Jyare Davis assists)	13-8
14:43		Chandler Jackson misses two point jump shot
14:41		Kyle Cuffe Jr. defensive rebound
14:18	+2	Eddie Lampkin Jr. makes two point layup	15-8
14:11		Kyle Cuffe Jr. personal foul
14:02		Justin Thomas turnover (lost ball) (J.J. Starling steals)
13:57		J.J. Starling misses two point layup
13:55		Bostyn Holt defensive rebound
13:33	+2	Bostyn Holt makes two point jump shot	15-10
13:01	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point jump shot	17-10
12:53		Jaquan Carlos personal foul
12:44		Jamir Watkins turnover (bad pass)
12:34		Kyle Cuffe Jr. misses two point layup
12:32		Bostyn Holt defensive rebound
12:25		Bostyn Holt turnover (lost ball)
12:18		Jyare Davis misses three point jump shot
12:16		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
12:08		Jerry Deng misses three point jump shot
12:06		Jaquan Carlos defensive rebound
12:00		Jaquan Carlos turnover (lost ball) (Jamir Watkins steals)
11:53		J.J. Starling blocks AJ Swinton's two point layup
11:51		Seminoles offensive rebound
11:51		TV timeout
11:50		AJ Swinton misses two point jump shot
11:48		AJ Swinton offensive rebound
11:43		Jerry Deng misses two point layup
11:41		Jaquan Carlos defensive rebound
11:35		Chris Bell misses two point layup
11:33		Alier Maluk defensive rebound
11:28		AJ Swinton misses two point jump shot
11:26		Alier Maluk offensive rebound
11:20		AJ Swinton misses two point jump shot
11:18		Lucas Taylor defensive rebound
11:02		Jaquan Carlos misses three point jump shot
11:00		Jaquan Carlos offensive rebound
10:57		Chris Bell misses three point jump shot
10:55		Seminoles defensive rebound
10:32	+2	Alier Maluk makes two point dunk (AJ Swinton assists)	17-12
10:02		AJ Swinton personal foul
10:00		Lucas Taylor misses three point jump shot
9:58		Taylor Bol Bowen defensive rebound
9:49		Alier Maluk misses two point layup
9:47		Naheem McLeod defensive rebound
9:38		Daquan Davis personal foul
9:22		Jamir Watkins shooting foul (Lucas Taylor draws the foul)
9:22	+1	Lucas Taylor makes regular free throw 1 of 2	18-12
9:22	+1	Lucas Taylor makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-12
9:02		Taylor Bol Bowen turnover (lost ball)
8:44	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point layup	21-12
8:34		Petar Majstorovic shooting foul (Malique Ewin draws the foul)
8:34	+1	Malique Ewin makes regular free throw 1 of 2	21-13
8:34		Malique Ewin misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:34		Lucas Taylor defensive rebound
8:21		J.J. Starling turnover (lost ball) (Chandler Jackson steals)
8:08	+2	Jerry Deng makes two point layup (Malique Ewin assists)	21-15
7:52		Lucas Taylor misses three point jump shot
7:50		Petar Majstorovic offensive rebound
7:33		Eddie Lampkin Jr. misses two point hook shot
7:31		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
7:24		Petar Majstorovic personal foul
7:24		TV timeout
7:14	+2	Jamir Watkins makes two point jump shot	21-17
6:41		Lucas Taylor misses three point jump shot
6:39		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
6:28	+2	Daquan Davis makes two point jump shot	21-19
6:05		Lucas Taylor misses two point layup
6:03		Eddie Lampkin Jr. offensive rebound
6:00	+2	Eddie Lampkin Jr. makes two point layup	23-19
5:45		Malique Ewin misses two point layup
5:43		J.J. Starling defensive rebound
5:38		Justin Thomas blocks Jyare Davis's two point layup
5:36		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
5:28	+3	Jerry Deng makes three point jump shot (Jamir Watkins assists)	23-22
5:17		Jerry Deng personal foul
5:11		Jyare Davis misses two point layup
5:09		Daquan Davis defensive rebound
5:04		Justin Thomas turnover (lost ball)
4:41		Jump ball. (Orange gains possession)
4:35		Daquan Davis blocks J.J. Starling's two point jump shot
4:33		Eddie Lampkin Jr. offensive rebound
4:33		Orange turnover (shot clock violation)
4:33		Orange 30 second timeout
4:19		Jamir Watkins misses two point jump shot
4:17		J.J. Starling defensive rebound
4:00		Lucas Taylor misses three point jump shot
3:58		Eddie Lampkin Jr. offensive rebound
3:58		Jerry Deng personal foul
3:58		TV timeout
3:47		Kyle Cuffe Jr. misses two point layup
3:45		Taylor Bol Bowen defensive rebound
3:23		Kyle Cuffe Jr. shooting foul (Malique Ewin draws the foul)
3:23		Malique Ewin misses regular free throw 1 of 2
3:23	+1	Malique Ewin makes regular free throw 2 of 2	23-23
3:06	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point jump shot	25-23
2:53		Eddie Lampkin Jr. blocks Malique Ewin's two point jump shot
2:51		Jaquan Carlos defensive rebound
2:44		J.J. Starling misses two point jump shot
2:42		Eddie Lampkin Jr. offensive rebound
2:37	+2	Eddie Lampkin Jr. makes two point layup	27-23
2:36		Seminoles 30 second timeout
2:26	+2	Jamir Watkins makes two point dunk (Justin Thomas assists)	27-25
1:58	+2	Eddie Lampkin Jr. makes two point layup	29-25
1:41		Taylor Bol Bowen misses three point jump shot
1:39		J.J. Starling defensive rebound
1:32		J.J. Starling misses two point layup
1:30		Orange offensive rebound
1:22		Jump ball. Chris Bell vs. Malique Ewin (Seminoles gains possession)
1:22		Chris Bell turnover (lost ball) (Malique Ewin steals)
1:03		Chris Bell personal foul (Jamir Watkins draws the foul)
1:03	+1	Jamir Watkins makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-26
1:03		Jamir Watkins misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:03		Eddie Lampkin Jr. defensive rebound
0:39		J.J. Starling turnover (lost ball)
0:22		Justin Thomas misses two point jump shot
0:20		Chris Bell defensive rebound
0:01		Chandler Jackson shooting foul (J.J. Starling draws the foul)
0:01		J.J. Starling misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:01	+1	J.J. Starling makes regular free throw 2 of 2	30-26
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
SYR
Orange
36
FSU
Seminoles
36

Time		Play	Score
19:48	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point layup	32-26
19:26		Malique Ewin misses two point hook shot
19:24		Lucas Taylor defensive rebound
19:10	+2	Jyare Davis makes two point layup	34-26
18:52		Jamir Watkins turnover (bad pass) (Jyare Davis steals)
18:44		Lucas Taylor misses three point jump shot
18:42		Taylor Bol Bowen defensive rebound
18:33		Taylor Bol Bowen misses two point jump shot
18:31		Taylor Bol Bowen offensive rebound
18:30		Eddie Lampkin Jr. shooting foul (Taylor Bol Bowen draws the foul)
18:30	+1	Taylor Bol Bowen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-27
18:30	+1	Taylor Bol Bowen makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-28
18:14		Bostyn Holt personal foul
18:03		Lucas Taylor misses three point jump shot
18:01		Jyare Davis offensive rebound
18:00	+2	Jyare Davis makes two point layup	36-28
18:00		Malique Ewin shooting foul (Jyare Davis draws the foul)
18:00		Seminoles 30 second timeout
18:00		TV timeout
18:00		Jyare Davis misses regular free throw 1 of 1
18:00		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
17:42	+2	Chandler Jackson makes two point jump shot	36-30
17:13	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point jump shot	38-30
17:02		Lucas Taylor personal foul
16:47	+2	Jamir Watkins makes two point layup	38-32
16:25		Taylor Bol Bowen personal foul
16:23	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point layup (Jaquan Carlos assists)	40-32
16:13		Lucas Taylor shooting foul (Jamir Watkins draws the foul)
16:13	+1	Jamir Watkins makes regular free throw 1 of 2	40-33
16:13	+1	Jamir Watkins makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-34
16:00	+2	Jaquan Carlos makes two point layup	42-34
16:00		TV timeout
15:49		Kyle Cuffe Jr. personal foul
15:42		Jamir Watkins misses two point jump shot
15:40		Jaquan Carlos defensive rebound
15:14	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point layup	44-34
15:09		Kyle Cuffe Jr. personal foul
14:55		Malique Ewin misses two point layup
14:53		Eddie Lampkin Jr. defensive rebound
14:41		J.J. Starling misses two point jump shot
14:39		Jyare Davis offensive rebound
14:38	+2	Jyare Davis makes two point layup	46-34
14:33		Daquan Davis offensive foul
14:33		Daquan Davis turnover (offensive foul)
14:16		J.J. Starling misses two point jump shot
14:14		Orange offensive rebound
14:08		Jyare Davis misses two point layup
14:06		Eddie Lampkin Jr. offensive rebound
14:06		AJ Swinton shooting foul (Eddie Lampkin Jr. draws the foul)
14:06	+1	Eddie Lampkin Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	47-34
14:06	+1	Eddie Lampkin Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-34
13:39		Jyare Davis blocks Jerry Deng's two point layup
13:37		Chris Bell defensive rebound
13:16	+2	Naheem McLeod makes two point dunk (Jaquan Carlos assists)	50-34
12:57		Jamir Watkins misses three point jump shot
12:55		Daquan Davis offensive rebound
12:51		Naheem McLeod shooting foul (AJ Swinton draws the foul)
12:51		AJ Swinton misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:51		AJ Swinton misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:51		Naheem McLeod defensive rebound
12:24		J.J. Starling misses two point jump shot
12:22		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
12:16		Chris Bell shooting foul (Daquan Davis draws the foul)
12:16	+1	Daquan Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-35
12:16		Daquan Davis misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:16		Naheem McLeod defensive rebound
11:57		Jyare Davis misses two point hook shot
11:55		Alier Maluk defensive rebound
11:45	+2	AJ Swinton makes two point layup (Jamir Watkins assists)	50-37
11:34		Orange 30 second timeout
11:34		TV timeout
11:15		Chris Bell misses three point jump shot
11:13		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
11:09		Jamir Watkins misses three point jump shot
11:07		J.J. Starling defensive rebound
10:58		Chris Bell misses three point jump shot
10:56		Daquan Davis defensive rebound
10:48	+2	Daquan Davis makes two point jump shot	50-39
10:23		Jyare Davis turnover (lost ball)
10:18	+2	Jamir Watkins makes two point layup	50-41
10:08		Jamir Watkins personal foul
9:52		Eddie Lampkin Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Jamir Watkins steals)
9:46		Jerry Deng turnover (lost ball) (Jaquan Carlos steals)
9:39		Eddie Lampkin Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Alier Maluk steals)
9:30		Jerry Deng misses three point jump shot
9:28		Justin Thomas offensive rebound
9:23	+2	Justin Thomas makes two point layup	50-43
9:03		Jamir Watkins personal foul (Petar Majstorovic draws the foul)
9:03		Petar Majstorovic misses regular free throw 1 of 1
9:03		Jerry Deng defensive rebound
8:43		Eddie Lampkin Jr. shooting foul (Jamir Watkins draws the foul)
8:43		Jamir Watkins misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:43	+1	Jamir Watkins makes regular free throw 2 of 2	50-44
8:27		J.J. Starling misses three point jump shot
8:25		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
8:12		Alier Maluk misses two point jump shot
8:10		Lucas Taylor defensive rebound
7:53		Justin Thomas shooting foul (J.J. Starling draws the foul)
7:53		TV timeout
7:53		J.J. Starling misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:53		J.J. Starling misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:53		Justin Thomas defensive rebound
7:24		Jamir Watkins misses two point jump shot
7:22		Jaquan Carlos defensive rebound
6:57	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point layup	52-44
6:40		Justin Thomas turnover (lost ball) (J.J. Starling steals)
6:35	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point layup	54-44
6:14	+3	Jerry Deng makes three point jump shot (Jamir Watkins assists)	54-47
5:40		Jerry Deng shooting foul (J.J. Starling draws the foul)
5:40		Seminoles 30 second timeout
5:40		J.J. Starling misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:40	+1	J.J. Starling makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-47
5:19	+2	Jerry Deng makes two point jump shot	55-49
4:53		Malique Ewin personal foul (Jyare Davis draws the foul)
4:53		Jyare Davis misses regular free throw 1 of 2
4:53	+1	Jyare Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-49
4:45		Daquan Davis misses two point jump shot
4:43		Jaquan Carlos defensive rebound
4:16		J.J. Starling turnover (lost ball) (Daquan Davis steals)
4:10		Eddie Lampkin Jr. shooting foul (Daquan Davis draws the foul)
4:10	+1	Daquan Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-50
4:10	+1	Daquan Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-51
3:46		Jaquan Carlos misses two point layup
3:44		Jamir Watkins defensive rebound
3:34		Jerry Deng misses two point jump shot
3:32		Eddie Lampkin Jr. defensive rebound
3:28		J.J. Starling misses two point dunk
3:26		Jaquan Carlos offensive rebound
3:22		Orange turnover (back court violation)
3:22		TV timeout
3:07		Jamir Watkins misses two point jump shot
3:05		Jyare Davis defensive rebound
2:49	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point layup	58-51
2:31	+2	Justin Thomas makes two point layup	58-53
2:09		Malique Ewin personal foul (Eddie Lampkin Jr. draws the foul)
2:09		Eddie Lampkin Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
2:09		Eddie Lampkin Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:09		Jerry Deng defensive rebound
2:01		Lucas Taylor personal foul (Jamir Watkins draws the foul)
2:01	+1	Jamir Watkins makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-54
2:01		Jamir Watkins misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:01		Jyare Davis defensive rebound
1:38	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point jump shot	60-54
1:23		J.J. Starling shooting foul (Daquan Davis draws the foul)
1:23	+1	Daquan Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-55
1:23	+1	Daquan Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-56
1:04	+2	J.J. Starling makes two point layup	62-56
0:49		Lucas Taylor shooting foul (Jamir Watkins draws the foul)
0:49	+1	Jamir Watkins makes regular free throw 1 of 3	62-57
0:49	+1	Jamir Watkins makes regular free throw 2 of 3	62-58
0:49	+1	Jamir Watkins makes regular free throw 3 of 3	62-59
0:21		J.J. Starling misses two point jump shot
0:19		Orange offensive rebound
0:19		Orange 30 second timeout
0:16		Jyare Davis turnover (bad pass) (Daquan Davis steals)
0:11		AJ Swinton misses two point layup
0:09		Malique Ewin offensive rebound
0:09	+2	Malique Ewin makes two point layup	62-61
0:09		Seminoles 60 second timeout
0:05		Malique Ewin personal foul (Kyle Cuffe Jr. draws the foul)
0:05	+1	Kyle Cuffe Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	63-61
0:05	+1	Kyle Cuffe Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-61
0:02		Jaquan Carlos personal foul (Daquan Davis draws the foul)
0:02	+1	Daquan Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2	64-62
0:02		Daquan Davis misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:02		Jyare Davis defensive rebound
0:01		Jamir Watkins personal foul (Jyare Davis draws the foul)
0:01	+1	Jyare Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2	65-62
0:01	+1	Jyare Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2	66-62
0:00		End of period

+ 1

Jyare Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2