Against one of the worst teams in the country, Syracuse needed a full half to kick into gear.

A first 20 minutes that were anything but flawless from the hosts gave way to an onslaught, though. Six players scored in double figures and every rotation player that stepped on the court scored at least twice.

SU’s 15-point halftime lead ballooned into a 42-point cushion by game’s end, and No. 18 Syracuse (4-0) cruised to an 101-59 win against South Carolina State (1-3) in its last tune-up before facing South Carolina on Saturday at Barclays Center.

After racing out to a 15-3 lead to begin the game, the Orange only outscored the Bulldogs by three points the rest of the half.

SU’s press had holes — and a lot of them. The 320th-best team in the country, according to Kenpom.com, seamlessly skipped passes across the court to crack the seams and set up its offense in the halfcourt. And with Syracuse’s two centers prone to committing fouls, South Carolina State attacked the basket, racking up double-digit points in transition in the first half.

Luckily for the Orange though, it was still South Carolina State. Even a sluggish opening 20 minutes ended with Syracuse leading, 46-31, thanks to John Gillon’s team-leading 10 points at the break and SU’s 50-percent mark from distance. The Bulldogs shot just 1-of-11 from 3.

The Orange’s hot streak from deep carried over to the second half, when Andrew White and Tyler Lydon canned a pair of 3s before the first media timeout. SU moved the ball with ease around S.C. State’s 2-3 zone and capitalized from distance when it had the chance. The Bulldogs carried its poor first half from 3 into the second frame, missing its first three long balls.

Slowly, the Orange widened its lead and buried the sloppiness that prevented it from pulling away well before it actually did. By the 11-minute mark of the second half, Syracuse boasted four double-digit scorers and led by 26.

From there, it was a formality. Lydon hit his third straight 3 to earn tacos for the crowd, also logging the team’s first double-double this season. Taurean Thompson viciously swatted a shot from behind, leading to a Tyler Roberson two-handed flush at the other end. The walk-on brigade strutted onto the court with 3:05 left in the game, and SU closed out its fourth effortless win of the season.

Published on November 22, 2016 at 9:16 pm

Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman