Syracuse, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Rakeem Christmas scored 15 points with 16 rebounds to lead No. 23 Syracuse to a 65-47 victory over Hampton on Sunday.

Chris McCullough had 13 points with four rebounds for the Orange (2-0), who opened the season on Friday with a 47-point win over Kennesaw State.

Quinton Chievous had 17 points and five rebounds for the Pirates (0-2), who lost to Iowa on Friday.

Hampton stayed in striking distance for much of the game and trailed by six, 48-42, after Dwight Meikle made a jumper with 8 1/2 minutes to play.

Syracuse, though, scored the next 10 points as Hampton went six minutes without scoring a point. Michael Gbinije capped the run with a three-point play for a 58-42 lead with 2 1/2 minutes left.

Chievous hit a triple to break the cold snap, but McCullough followed with a pair of free throws and Gbinije put the game away with a 3-pointer.

Syracuse led for much of the first half, but Hampton was able to keep pace and trailed by one after Meikle put in a basket with just over nine minutes to play.

The Orange, though, scored the final four points of the half to take a 35-27 lead into the break.