Syracuse rounded out its nonconference slate with a 61-44 win over Cornell in the Carrier Dome on Wednesday night. As the Orange prepares to tackle Atlantic Coast Conference competition — starting with Virginia Tech on Saturday — here are three takeaways from SU’s New Year’s Eve victory.

Still Christmas season

The calendar may be approaching its flip from December to January, but Rakeem Christmas is still — OK, I’ll save from you the cheesy pun.

The senior continues to carry this Orange team, finishing with 19 points and nine rebounds Wednesday night. On a night when SU shot just 4-for-12 from 3-point range, Christmas stabilized the offense with yet another efficient performance from the field — making nine of his 12 attempts.

On the rebounding front, Syracuse’s guards and wings often leaked out as soon as a Cornell 3 was hoisted, leaving Christmas all alone to fend off the Big Red for the board. And his 6-foot-9 frame was all he needed.

One move

Forward Tyler Roberson shot just 1-of-6 on the night, but his one make was as impressive a move as he’s shown all season.

Squared up to the basket from the high post, Roberson put the ball on the floor, spun to his left into the lane and lofted a pretty left-handed finger roll. After missing his first two attempts from the field, Roberson put SU up 8-2 and flashed his potential to create off the dribble.

Head coach Jim Boeheim has said this season he’d like to see Roberson expand his game outside of his natural four-man skills, and the aforementioned move may have been a sneak peek at something to come.

Josephs’s ups and downs continue

Two games after going scoreless, freshman point guard Kaleb Joseph shot an efficient 4-of-6 Wednesday night.

He added three rebounds, two assists and two steals while committing just one turnover.

His up-and-down freshman year continues, but at least he enters ACC play for the first time on somewhat of an upward trend.

Published on December 31, 2014 at 7:59 pm