When Syracuse started hitting 3s after struggling to shoot, it could have spelled disaster for Kansas. When Tyler Betsey connected from deep with six minutes remaining to cut KU’s lead to 52-50, it brought the Orange the closest they had been since the opening minutes — and the Jayhawks had nothing going

Houston basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson was blunt after the Cougars beat Syracuse, saying they are not a good team right now.

The Syracuse Orange (4-0) are en route to MGM Grand Garden Arena on Tuesday where they will take on the Kansas Jayhawks (3-2). The Syracuse Orange stepped onto the hardwood against Monmouth and walked away with a win by a score of 78-73 in their last game.

Redshirt-sophomore guard McDowell started in place of Kohl Rosario, marking his first ever time in the opening group. He finished with nine points. Bryson Tiller joined those players, plus Melvin Council, in the KU starting five and contributed 11 points.

Syracuse men’s basketball pushed one of the nation’s top teams to the brink Monday but couldn’t finish the upset, falling 78-74 in overtime to No. 3 Houston in its Players Era Festival opener at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Donnie Freeman scored 18 points and made two late free throws to help Syracuse hold off Monmouth in a 78-73 win on Tuesday.

Houston basketball defeated Syracuse 78-74 in overtime in the first game of the Players Era Festival on Monday evening, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Ve