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  Article by Dan Tortora

  The Syracuse Orange faced off against the Bryant Bulldogs for only the second time in history with their only other meeting coming in the COVID year of 2020 where the Orange won 85-84 in the Dome.

  This time around, Bryant got things started on a 6-0 run to open the day.

  At the 9:15 mark of the first half, some extracurriculars happened resulting in a personal foul being called on Syracuse true freshman point guard Judah Mintz and a double-technical involving Mintz and senior guard Doug Edert of Bryant. Both were ejected.

  Also ejected were junior guard Tyler Brelsford, junior forward Kvonn Cramer, and Assistant Coaches Phil Martelli, Jr., and Chris Cole of the Bulldogs and Assistant Coaches Adrian Autry and Allen Griffin, along with Director of Basketball Operations Pete Corasaniti, of the Orange for leaving their respective benches.

  With 39.5 seconds remaining in the first half, Syracuse senior center Jesse Edwards picked up his third foul.

  Fifth-year senior forward Antwan Walker would also pick up his third foul before the half, his deemed a technical, giving Syracuse two freebies and the ball. Orange true freshman guard Justin Taylor made both free throws and Bell followed with a jumper to give Syracuse four points off of the foul by Walker.

  With the Orange looking to take these late points as potentially an energy boost for the second half, Bulldogs' senior forward Sherif Gross-Bullock had other plans, conencting on a three that beat the halftime buzzer, sending the Bulldogs into the locker room ahead by double-figures, 40-29.

  Syracuse never led in the first half.

  As in the first half, the Bulldogs were the first to score to open the second half, this time coming from Pride.

  Senior point guard Symir Torrence was fed by Edwards as he came down the lane, making the lay-in over his head and the free throw that followed, bringing the score to 42-32 Bulldogs.

  Edwards would secure his own old-fashioned three-point play on an offensive rebound the next time down the court, getting the Orange within seven, 42-35.

  A tip-in by Edwards would make it a two-possession contest, 42-37, off of another offensive rebound.

  But, Syracuse native and Bryant senior guard Charles Pride would answer at the rim off of an offensive rebound of his own, bringing it back to a three-possession game, 44-37.

  Taylor would score nine of Syracuse's 13 points from just inside the 13-minute mark, aiding the Orange in shrinking a double-digit deficit at that time, 52-42, to a two-possession game, 56-52, with 7:28 left on the second-half clock. During this timespan, Syracuse went on a 13-4 run.

  A jumper by Syracuse true freshman forward Chris Bell with under 5:30 to play resulted in a separation of a mere two points, 58-56, between the Orange and Bulldogs, with Bryant still ahead.

  Syracuse redshirt-junior forward John Bol Ajak was called for his fourth foul with 4:58 remaining. Walker made the basket but missed the free throw, bringing the score to 60-56.

  Taylor came down the floor and launched his sixth three-ball of the game, which graced the nylon to shrink the Bryant lead to one, 60-59, with 4:16 on the clock.

  Edwards served as the cleanup crew once again, this time giving the Orange their first lead of the game, 61-60, with 3:20 remaining.

  But on the following Bulldogs' possession, Edwards would be called for his fifth foul, taking him out of the remainder of the contest with 3:12 to go. He would finish with a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 21 rebounds (eight offensive and 13 defensive) to go with two assists, two blocks, and two turnovers in 31 minutes.

  Junior guard Earl Timberlake would secure the old-fashioned three-point play on Edwards' final foul, moving the Bulldogs back ahead 63-61.

  Pride would put two more free throws in the cylinder off of a foul by senior guard Joe Girard, III, giving Bryant a 65-61 lead.

  Bell scored on back-to-back Syracuse possessions, one from inside and the other from outside the arc to roll the Orange back ahead, 66-65.

  After two free throws by Walker, he would pick up his fifth foul of the game, taking him off the court. Taylor would get two sets of free throws, the first set coming from a technical and the second set on the foul. He would go 3-for-4 to give Syracuse a 69-67 lead.

  The Bulldogs would answer with two free throws from Timberlake and a dunk by Bullock coming off of him stealing the ball away from Girard to regain the lead at 71-69.

  Taylor would go 1-for-2 at the line, bringing the score to 71-70, with the Orange behind by one.

  With eight seconds remaining, Girard went 2-for-2 on his trip to the charity stripe, moving the seesaw back in favor of Syracuse, 72-71.

  Bullock took to the lane and released. The ball bounced around and in, securing Bryant's first victory versus Syracuse, 73-72, this time ending on the right side of a one-point score.

  The win gave Bryant an overall record of 5-1, while Syracuse fell to .500, at 3-3 on the season.

  Walker led all Bulldogs with 18, followed by Gross-Bullock with 15, and Pride and Timberlake each with 13.

  Taylor had a career day with 25 points, his new single-game high, leading all Orange, followed by Bell with 14, and Edwards with his aforementioned 12.