Syracuse Struggles Against Notre Dame in Tight ACC Showdown

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Orange faced a tough challenge against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome, ultimately falling short in a closely contested ACC matchup. The game, which tipped off at 4 p.m. ET, saw Notre Dame secure a 78-60 victory, improving their record to 9-9, while Syracuse dropped to 8-10.

Notre Dame’s Markus Burton dominated the first half, scoring 22 points on over 60% shooting from both the field and beyond the arc. Syracuse struggled to contain Burton’s offensive prowess, particularly his ability to penetrate and hit three-pointers. Despite a late surge in the first half, the Orange entered halftime trailing 44-33.

Syracuse’s Eddie Lampkin Jr. and J.J. Starling provided moments of hope for the Orange. Lampkin recorded his third consecutive double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Starling heated up in the second half, finishing with 13 points. However, their efforts were not enough to overcome Notre Dame’s consistent offensive pressure.

“We knew we had to contain Burton, but he was just too good tonight,” said Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry. “Our guys fought hard, but we need to execute better defensively moving forward.”

Notre Dame’s Tae Davis also played a pivotal role, contributing 26 points and 11 rebounds. The Fighting Irish capitalized on their three-point shooting, making 36.8% of their attempts compared to Syracuse’s 29.4%. Notre Dame’s dominance on the offensive glass, with 17 rebounds, further compounded Syracuse’s struggles.

Syracuse, coming off an 85-61 loss to Louisville, was without freshman forward Donnie Freeman due to a lower-right leg injury. Freeman’s absence was felt as the Orange struggled to find consistent scoring outside of Lampkin and Starling.

Notre Dame’s victory snapped a four-game losing streak and marked their first road win in several weeks. “This was a big win for us,” said Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry. “We executed our game plan and got contributions from everyone.”

The Orange will look to regroup as they continue their ACC schedule, while Notre Dame aims to build on this momentum. The all-time series between the two teams now stands at 34-24 in favor of Syracuse, but Notre Dame’s recent performance suggests a shift in the rivalry’s dynamics.