SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Andrew White scored a season-high 26 points and Frank Howard had 10 points, a career-high 13 assists and just two turnovers to lead No. 22 Syracuse to a 77-71 victory over pesky North Florida on Saturday.
Freshman Tyus Battle, inserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season by coach Jim Boeheim, had a career-high 19 points, 16 in the second half. Dajuan Coleman had a career-high 15 points, including five down the stretch, and six rebounds for the Orange (5-2) who broke a two-game losing streak. Tyler Lydon had nine rebounds.
White, a fifth-year transfer from Nebraska, has scored in double figures in all seven games. He hit 7 of 13 from beyond the 3-point line. Battle was 4 of 5 from beyond the arc.
Dallas Moore led the Ospreys (3-7) with 30 points, 22 in the second half, while Nick Malonga had 12 and Wajid Aminu 10.
Syracuse went on a 26-9 run spanning both halves to take control of a closer-than-expected game. The Orange had a 56-32 lead on a 3 by Battle with 12:36 to go but North Florida battled back, closing to 77-71 with 19 seconds to go.
Both teams were ice cold, combining for 21-of-65 shooting from the field in the first half. North Florida was 10 of 36 and just 3 of 20 from beyond the arc. The Orange weren't much better, going 11 of 29, but hit 8 of 15 3-point attempts led by White who was 5 of 8.
Things heated up in the second half. The Orange hit 14 of 23 from the field and 5 of 9 from 3. The Ospreys were 15 of 27 and 8 of 19 from 3.
Syracuse led 20-9 but then went more than 6 minutes without scoring. The Ospreys closed within 20-16 on a floater by Dallas Moore with 4:14 to go in the half. Syracuse closed out the first 20 minutes on a 14-7 run, led by two 3s by White and another by Lydon. Syracuse led 34-23 at halftime.
The Orange started the second half on the same note, going on a 12-2 blitz on 5-of-6 shooting, led by White's six points.
BIG PICTURE:
North Florida: Despite being ranked 305th nationally in defensive efficiency, the Ospreys hung in with Syracuse.
Syracuse: Coming off losses to South Carolina and Wisconsin, the Orange continued to look sluggish, particularly on the offensive end. If not for White, Syracuse would be in much worse shape. It will be interesting to see if Boeheim continues with Battle in the starting lineup.
UP NEXT:
North Florida has week off before hitting the road at Arkansas.
Syracuse meets up with former Big East rival UConn on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
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