Chucky Hepburn hit a career-high-tying six three-pointers and scored 24 points to guide red-hot Louisville an 85-61 victory over host Syracuse on Tuesday.
The impressive effort gave the Cardinals (13-5, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) their seventh straight victory. Louisville has won more games this season than in its previous two seasons combined.
Hepburn, a senior transfer from Wisconsin, added a game-high seven assists. He set a season high on 3-pointers in just the first half, connecting on five of his seven attempts. Three of those buckets came in a 12-0 run to end the half. His last with 1:34 remaining extended Louisville’s lead to 43-27, which it took to halftime.
While Hepburn heated up, the Orange (8-9, 2-4) could not. The hosts made just 11-of-32 (34.4 percent) field-goal attempts in the first half and missed its final six shots to help Louisville pull away.
Louisville shot 50 percent (31 of 62) from the floor and connected on 12-of-28 3-pointers (42.9 percent). Syracuse managed to make just 40 percent (24 of 60) from the field on the night.
Five players scored in double figures for Louisville. Terrence Edwards Jr. added 16 points, J’Vonne Hadley posted a double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, James Scott pitched in with 10 points and Reyne Smith also scored 10 while going 3-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Chris Bell led Syracuse in scoring with 18. Eddie Lampkin Jr. contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds and Jyare Davis added 10 points and eight rebounds.
J.J. Starling, who came in averaging a team-high 19.8 points per game, finished with a season-low four points and six of the team’s 14 turnovers. Lucas Taylor, who had scored in double digits in each of the previous four games, went scoreless and missed six shots.
Donnie Freeman missed his third straight game. The Orange’s second-leading scorer and rebounder (13.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg) was not in uniform on the bench, wearing a boot on his right foot.
–Field Level Media
