The Le Moyne Dolphins men’s basketball team lost a thrilling game to the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome 86-82. The Dolphins had a chance to tie or take the lead with 20 seconds remaining, but with six seconds on the clock, Syracuse’s Chris Bell stole the ball from Le Moyne’s Nate Fouts. This led to a pair of game-sealing free throws by Bell, spoiling Le Moyne’s chance at a major upset victory. 

The Dolphins led the game 41-36 at halftime and led with seven minutes remaining in the game. Freds Bagatskis led the game in points for Le Moyne with 18, while Jyare Davis led the Orange with 22. 

Le Moyne was able to get out to a fast start by speeding past the larger Syracuse defenders and constantly moving the ball to create open shots. The Dolphins would race out to an early 17-10 lead. Syracuse’s starting center Eddie Lampkin Jr. would then pick up two early fouls causing him to miss a significant chunk of the first half. 

Coming out of the halftime locker room with a 41-36 lead Le Moyne would continue using the speedy guard play of Zek Tekin and Will Amica to blow by Syracuse’s larger defenders to create open shots at the rim. Eventually, however, Syracuse’s larger size would create problems for Le Moyne. The Orange would utilize Lampkin & Davis to physically outmatch Le Moyne’s smaller defenders. 

On top of this, Le Moyne’s bench was getting thin. Darrick Jones Jr., a returning starter from last year’s team, did not play. Mercer transfer Robby Carmody, who started the game, would leave the game with an apparent arm injury with eight minutes remaining in the first half. Will Amica would foul out with 3:11 in the second half. 

Despite being undermanned and physically outmatched, Le Moyne continued to leave everything on the court. Trailing by seven points with less than two minutes remaining in the game, Freds Bagatskis and Trent Mosquera would hit back-to-back three-point shots before Jaquan Carlos went 1-2 at the free throw line. With a chance to tie or take the lead with 20 seconds remaining in the game, Le Moyne would turn the ball over leading to a pair of game-sealing free throws by Bell. 

Although the Dolphins did not come out victorious, this was a major statement by the Dolphins against crosstown Goliath Syracuse. Le Moyne men’s basketball will retake the court at home against CSU Northridge on Wednesday.