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The Syracuse University men's basketball team advanced in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Tournament after a narrow victory over the Florida State Seminoles on Tuesday (March 11) at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. JJ Starling led the charge for the Orange with an impressive 27 points, helping his team secure a 66-62 win. Starling made 12 of 23 shots, including three 3-pointers, and grabbed five rebounds. Eddie Lampkin Jr. contributed significantly with 14 points and nine rebounds, while Jyare Davis added 14 points and six boards.
The game remained competitive throughout, with Syracuse taking a 30-26 lead into halftime. Despite Florida State's efforts to close the gap, including a late-game push that brought them within one point, Syracuse held firm. With nine seconds remaining, Kyle Cuffe Jr. made two crucial free throws to extend the lead. Jyare Davis sealed the victory by making two more free throws in the final seconds.
Florida State's Jamir Watkins led his team with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Despite their efforts, the Seminoles fell short, ending their tournament run.
Syracuse, the 14th seed with a season record of 14-18, will face the sixth-seeded SMU Mustangs in the second round of the tournament on Wednesday (March 12). Tip-off is scheduled for 9:30 PM.
For more details on the game, visit Seminoles.com and Cuse.com.