Syracuse, N.Y. – Jyare Davis registered a double-double off the bench to lead Syracuse University to an 86-82 come-from-behind victory over the Le Moyne College men's basketball team in the season opener for both teams on Monday night at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Junior Freds Pauls Bagatskis (Riga, Latvia/Complejo Educativo Mas Camarena/Georgia Tech/UT Arlington) led five Dolphins in double figures (four of whom were making their Le Moyne debut) with 18 points, 10 of which came in the second half. Graduate student guard Will Amica (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee/UAlbany) tallied 12 points off the bench, including 10 after halftime. Redshirt sophomore forward Nate Fouts (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles/Kimball Union Academy) tallied nine of his 11 points after halftime as the only returner to score in double digits. Redshirt junior forward Dwayne Koroma (Berlin, Germany/Bishop Walsh (Md.)/Iona/Salt Lake C.C./UT Arlington) and junior guard Zek Tekin (Istanbul, Turkey/Ozel Esenkent Okaynus Anadolu Lisesi/Siena) each scored 10 points, while Tekin dished out six assists.

Davis registered game-highs of 22 points and 12 rebounds in his Orange debut, including 13 points and five rebounds in the second half. Chris Bell registered 20 points, including 16 in the second half, and added a steal on Le Moyne's second-to-last possession. JJ Starling turned in 14 points, 10 in the second half, five rebounds and three assists. Donnie Freeman recorded a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Eddie Lampkin also had 10 points.

The Dolphins jumped out to a 17-8 lead through the first seven and one-half minutes of the game. Senior forward Ocypher Owens (Orlando, Fla./Orlando Christian Prep/Indian River State) had five of the points, while Koroma had a pair of dunks and Bagatskis and junior guard Trent Mosquera (Brookline, Mass./Belmont Hill School) bookended the span with three free throws each.

Syracuse answered with six straight points and 13 of the next 17 to tie the score at 21 with 7:55 left in the half. The run started with conventional three-point plays from Petar Majstorovic and Davis and was capped by a Starling three-pointer.

The teams went back and forth over the next five minutes with the lead changing sides six times and the run ending with a 33-32 Syracuse lead of with 2:40 remaining.

Le Moyne countered with the next seven points to regain the lead. Bagatskis started the run with a three-pointer, Fouts made a layup and then Bagatskis had a dunk for a 39-33 Le Moyne.

Syracuse scored three points around a Tekin layup to give the Dolphins a 41-36 lead at halftime.

Lampkin and Starling each converted layups to start the second half before Fouts made a lay-up and Amica drained a three-pointer to give the Dolphins a 48-40 lead just two minutes into the second half.

Syracuse scored 10 of the next 12 points to tie the score at 50. Starling made a jumper and then Bell had a conventional three-point play, a jumper and a three-pointer to even the score at 50.

Fouts answered with a three-pointer and a jumper to push Le Moyne's lead back to five with 13:30 to go.

After another Fouts lay-up with 12:43 left, the Orange rattled off 13 of the next 16 points for a five-point advantage. Davis made two free throws, Freeman had a lay-up, Davis made a pair of jumpers around a Starling lay-up and then Bell drilled a three-pointer for a 65-60 lead with 8:54 left.

Freshman guard Jakob Blakley (Elgin, Ill./Walter Payton Preparatory) countered with two free throws and then Bagatskis connected on a three-pointer to tie the score at 65.

The Orange responded with 11 of the next 14 points to take their largest lead of the game, 76-68, with 4:31 to play. Davis made two free throws and a lay-up around one from Starling for a 71-68 edge. Lampkin then had a tip-in and Davis scored three points over two possessions.

Le Moyne cut its deficit to four on three Bagatskis free throws, but Bell made a foul shot and Jaquan Carlos scored at the rim to put the margin back to seven with 2:41 left.

The Dolphins took advantage of a Syracuse turnover and three to close within two with 1:02 left on a Mosquera three-pointer.

Starling answered with a lay-up with 34 seconds left to make it a four-point game, but Bagatskis buried a three-pointer with 23.5 seconds left to pull the Dolphins within one.

Following a Syracuse timeout, Carlos made one of two free throws to give the Dolphins a chance for the win, but Bell was able to disrupt a pass, collect the ball and get fouled. Bell made both free throw attempts to seal the game for Syracuse.

Le Moyne (0-1) is back in action on Wednesday for its home opener against CSUN at 7:00 p.m. The Dolphins earned their first win as a Division I program over a Division I program against the Matadors last year in Northridge.