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Just four days ago, Maliq Brown set a then-season high with a 13-point performance in Syracuse’s win over Oregon. On Thursday, he scored 15 against Niagara while adding 10 rebounds. The latter is his second-highest mark of the season.

Brown played a pivotal role off the bench in Syracuse’s 83-71 win over Niagara (3-8, 0-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Syracuse (9-3, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) relied upon 40 bench points and Brown’s second career double-double — where he didn’t miss a single shot from the field — to get past the Purple Eagles, who have now lost 11 straight to the Orange.

“Maliq, he was phenomenal,” head coach Adrian Autry said postgame. “He’s just scratching the surface. He’s so talented. He does so much for the team.”

Along with Brown’s stellar performance, Quadir Copeland added 12 points and matched a career-high eight assists off the bench for his third straight game in double figures. In his last outing, he recorded a career-high 15 points.

Niagara’s Braxton Bayless converted a lay-in to get his squad to a single-digit deficit with just over a minute remaining. But 13 seconds later, Brown stopped all momentum that was trending in the Purple Eagles direction.

Breaking the full-court press, Judah Mintz found Brown on the alley-oop. Brown’s previous field goal was also a dunk, with the assist by Copeland. The sophomore was all over the floor Thursday, whether crashing the glass on both ends or scoring.

Copeland was also effective, finding himself sharing the basketball frequently while putting up points of his own. To give Syracuse a 67-51 advantage, Brown posted up down low on the left block. Copeland, who was at the top of the key, dished it down low, as Brown easily scored over his defender to get into double figures.

“He’s been really good — 12 points, eight assists,” Autry said of Copeland. “He’s keeping the ball, he’s not turning the ball over.”

Brown also dominated on the glass, notching his 10th rebound with 45 seconds remaining. The board secured his first double-double of the season and the first since recording 11 points and 12 rebounds versus Virginia Tech last January.

Earlier in the game, Kyle Cuffe Jr. penetrated into the lane on the fast break and spun around his defender in front of the basket. He missed the layup, but Brown trailed behind, grabbing the offensive board and putting it in back off the glass in as Syracuse led 32-20, its largest lead of the game up to that point.

In addition to his seven defensive rebounds, Brown also added a block. Stuffing Bumbalough down low against the backboard, the Orange transitioned. Copeland led the charge, ultimately shrugging off his defender as he drove down the right side of the lane and scored.

Copeland and Brown combined for 27 of the team’s 40 bench points, which is the third highest mark of the season behind 44-point productions against Oregon and Chaminade.

Following Brown’s putback on Cuffe Jr’s fast-break miss later in the first half, Brown drained his first 3-pointer of the season. Cuffe Jr. dribbled to the right corner, which allowed Brown to be isolated on the right wing. Niagara’s Aime Rutayisire didn’t close out, thinking Brown wasn’t going to make it. Brown drained it.

“Today was the first time that he shot the 3 and he made it and he does that in practice a lot,” Autry said. “If we can get him to make one or two 3s a game, that’s going to be huge for us.”

On a pick-and-roll in the second half, Cuffe Jr. connected with Brown once more. Setting the screen on Bayless, Brown rolled to the basket, where Cuffe Jr. made the simple pass setting up Brown for the slam. Brown shppts nearly 76% from the field, mainly because of his ability to be open in high-percentage areas in the paint. Syracuse had 44 total points in the paint.

Copeland has found a groove recently, notching nine of his 12 points in the first half. He had multiple takes into the paint, including one where he spun around Dre Bullock and scored down low. He also found ways to set-up his teammates, including an alley-oop to Benny Williams.

On a separate connection to Williams in the first half, Mintz found Copeland at the top of the key. Copeland took a couple dribbles inside the arc, drawing Williams’ defender away from him. Dishing it to the right wing, Williams hit the triple. It was his ability to share the ball and Brown’s ability to be aggressive on the glass and down low that led to the win for the Orange.

“My bench was great again today,” Autry said.

Published on December 21, 2023 at 9:21 pm

Contact Cole: colebambini@gmail.com | @ColeBambini