Orange Open Regular Season on Monday against Le Moyne

Game details: Monday, November 4, Syracuse, NY, 7 p.m
Live video: ACC Network Extra
Live reporting: statistics
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Le Moyne links: News | Roster | schedule

Syracuse tips off the 2024-25 regular season against Le Moyne on Monday night at 7 p.m. at the JMA Wireless Dome

Setting the stage
The Orange have two tournament wins against Division II opponents Clarion (101-73) and Slippery Rock (96-51). Adrian Autry is entering his second year at the helm of Syracuse after a 20-12 debut season.


Monday's game will also be the first of the regular season for the Dolphins, who defeated Mansfield University 116-67 in their only exhibition game on Oct. 30. Le Moyne, entering its second season as a Division I member, is coming off a 15-17 campaign that included a 9-7 mark in the Northeast Conference (NEC). The Dolphins were ranked fourth in this year's NEC preseason poll.


Le Moyne is led by fifth-year coach Nate Champion '14, who led his alma mater's transition from Division II to Division I last season.



The Syracuse-Le Moyne Series
Syracuse leads the all-time series against Le Moyne 6-0. The Orange defeated the Dolphins 85-51 in the last meeting between the two teams on November 16, 2008. Prior to this duel, the teams had not met since December 29, 1994.



Preseason leader
The Orange recorded a balanced offensive attack in their two friendlies, with three players averaging double figures in points. Highlighted by the team's best nine triples, Chris Bell led the team with 16.5 points per game. Freshmen Donnie Freeman an average of 13.5 per competition, with JJ Starling just behind with 12.5. All three players shot over 50 percent from the field, with Starling leading the way at 66.7 percent.


Three other Syracuse players averaged at least seven points in the two exhibition contests – Elijah Moore (9.5), Naheem McLeod (7.5) and Jaquan Carlos (7). Carlos also led the team with 16 assists, including 10 in his double-double against Clarion.


Syracuse had three players reach double figures in the two exhibition games, led by Jyare Davis with 11. Freeman and Starling had 10 each.



Freeman, Lampkin Jr. make preseason watch lists
Freeman is one of 20 players who made the preseason watch list for the 2025 Karl Malone Award, which recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men's basketball. Freeman, a McDonald's All-American and the second-highest ranked Syracuse recruit in program history, is one of two freshmen to make this year's Malone Award watch list.



Eddie Lampkin Jr. is one of 20 candidates on the preseason watch list for the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, which goes to the best center in men's college basketball. Lampkin Jr. is in his first year with the Orange after a productive season at Colorado, where he averaged 10.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest.


The list for both awards will be narrowed down to ten at the end of January and just five at the end of February. In March, the five finalists for both awards will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar, Malone and the Hall of Fame Selection Committee, where the winners will be selected.


Orange fans are encouraged to take part in three rounds of fan voting presented by Dell Technologies on Hoophallawards.com.



Tickets
Syracuse men's basketball tickets are available online (cuse.com/tickets), by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) and at the Dome Box Office (Gate B).

For complete coverage of Syracuse men's basketball, follow the team on X (@Cuse_MBB) and Instagram (cuse_mbb).