Syracuse (8-3) got back in the win column with a 67-46 win over Cornell (5-5) in the Carrier Dome on Saturday. Here are three quick reactions from the game.

1. Controlling the paint

With Syracuse’s spotty frontcourt, it’s expected for the Orange to struggle inside against teams like Wisconsin, Georgetown and Texas A&M. But SU has also had trouble controlling the paint against lesser opponents like Colgate and St. Bonaventure, a discouraging sign for a team that opens Atlantic Coast Conference play on Dec. 30.

But that trend was broken Saturday, as Syracuse’s frontcourt asserted itself inside against the Big Red. The Orange finished with 34 points in the paint to Cornell’s 16, and won the rebounding battle 48-27. SU also grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and scored 17 second-chance points

The Orange’s 30-26 halftime lead was almost completely due to its 11 offensive rebounds, 13-second chance points and 16 points in the paint in the first half. Otherwise, Syracuse shot 3-for-12 from 3 for little perimeter production.

Tyler Roberson led the frontcourt with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, 12 rebounds and two blocks. He grabbed eight offensive rebounds — the second time he’s had more than seven this season — and also posted his second double-double in 11 games.

2. Shaking a slump

At the start of the second half, Trevor Cooney was 0-for-5 from 3 and had missed his last 11 attempts from deep. But all that changed in the second, when Cooney hit three 3s in the first 7:32 to help the Orange build an 11-point lead and eventually coast to the finish.

Cooney finished with 10 points, shooting 3-for-10 from the field and 3-for-7 from 3. The resurfacing of his 3-point touch was a welcome sign for the Orange, as it forced Cornell to press out on him and opened up the inside for drivers and post players.

3. Big Red brick

Cornell hung in it against Syracuse — trailing single digits in the second half and a respectable 14 with 2:30 to go — but it wasn’t because the Big Red shot the ball well.

After making just 4-of-16 3-point attempts in the first half, the visitors finished an abysmal 6-for-25 from deep against the Orange zone. Back-to-back 3s from the top of the key kept the Big Red within an arm’s length at the end of the first half, but Cornell was otherwise unsuccessful in beating the zone over the top.

Published on December 19, 2015 at 2:02 pm