'Cuse Falls 84-70 to Saint Joseph's behind turnovers and defensive struggles

Syracuse's struggles continued on Monday night as they fell to Saint Joseph's 84-70 in the Carrier Dome. The Orange committed 21 turnovers and allowed the Hawks to shoot 52.8% from the field.

Leading the way for Saint Joseph's was Erik Reynolds II, who scored 24 points and dished out seven assists. Cameron Brown added 19 points and six rebounds, while Jalen Pickett chipped in with 18 points.

For Syracuse, Joe Girard III led the way with 18 points. Judah Mintz added 16 points, while Jesse Edwards scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

The Orange started the game strong, taking an early 10-point lead. However, Saint Joseph's chipped away at the lead and eventually took a 36-32 lead into halftime.

In the second half, Syracuse was unable to keep pace with Saint Joseph's. The Hawks shot the ball well and forced the Orange into numerous turnovers. Saint Joseph's led by as many as 18 points in the second half before eventually winning by 14.

The loss drops Syracuse to 13-12 on the season and 6-8 in ACC play. The Orange will be back in action on Wednesday night when they travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers.

What went wrong for Syracuse?

• Turnovers: The Orange committed 21 turnovers in the game, which led to 24 points for Saint Joseph's.
• Defensive struggles: Syracuse allowed Saint Joseph's to shoot 52.8% from the field, including 40.0% from three-point range.
• Lack of rebounding: The Orange were outrebounded by Saint Joseph's 39-29, including 12-5 on the offensive glass.

What's next for Syracuse?

The Orange will be back in action on Wednesday night when they travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers. Pittsburgh is currently 17-7 on the season and 10-4 in ACC play.

Syracuse will need to play much better if they want to beat Pittsburgh. The Orange will need to take care of the ball, play better defense, and rebound the ball better.