What Autry, Anthony and Freeman said after Syracuse defeated Drexel

PHILADELPHIA — Syracuse defeated Drexel, 80-50, in the Basketball on Broad: Autumn Invitational on Saturday.

The Orange went into halftime up just 37-32 after a surprisingly competitive first half. But SU ran away in the second half by outscoring the Dragons, 43-18, improving to 3-0 on the young season.

Here are three takeaways from Saturday's Orange victory.

Disruptive Defense

After a first half where Syracuse allowed Drexel to shoot 50 percent from the field, the Orange amplified its defensive pressure in the second half, holding Drexel to just 7 for 35 shooting in the second half.

Syracuse leaned on its superior athleticism, with Kiyan Anthony, Donnie Freeman, Nate Kingz, and William Kyle III leading a defensive effort that forced 18 turnovers on the afternoon.

“I don’t think there’s a lot of teams that can matchup with our length and athleticism," Freeman said.

They were aggressive, but also not over exerting themselves, only fouling nine times in the game with a healthy mix of zone and man.

“The best teams in the country are all good defensive teams," Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry said. "That’s what we want to hang our hat on. Getting back to our energy -- be aggressive, hunting, I think we did that in the second half.”

Syracuse played with pace

Autry has emphasized Syracuse's desire to play with pace, often pushing his team to get out in transition after grabbing a rebound.

The Orange heeded their coaches, scoring 16 points on the fast break compared to just three for Drexel. Anthony (18 points) was at the center of pushing pace, frequently challenging Drexel's taller defenders and creating opportunities for his teammates.

"You want to get out in transition so bad to get those lob dunks or those and-one layups," Anthony said. "But realizing that this is a higher-level team and they will not just give you those.”

Rebounding Concerns

Part of the reason why Syracuse only had a five-point lead at intermission was because of second chance opportunities. Drexel outrebounded SU 19-8 in the first half, including collecting seven offensive rebounds.

That led to nine second chance points, something that Syracuse addressed after half. The Orange closed the rebounding margin significantly, and ended the game with just a 39-36 deficit.

“The bigs were doing a good job a boxing out," Anthony said. "We just have to get in there and grab the boards.”