Orange Open Exhibition Play against Clarion

Game details: Saturday, October 26, Syracuse, NY, 1 p.m

Live video: ACC Network Extra

Live reporting: LiveStats

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In his second season as head coach Adrian Autry and the Syracuse University men's basketball team open their two-game exhibition against Division II Clarion (Pa.) on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 1 p.m. at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Setting the stage
Syracuse brings a 27-game winning streak in exhibition games into its contest with the Golden Eagles. The Orange finished Autry's debut season in 2023-24 with a record of 20-14 (11-9 ACC).

Clarion is coming off a year in which they finished 8-20 overall (6-16 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference). The Golden Eagles are led by Damian Pitts, who is entering his seventh season with the program.

The exhibition will be the first action this fall for both teams.

Key returner
Even though the team is new-look, the Orange return two key starters at junior guard from last year's squad JJ Starling and junior striker Chris Bell. Starling, the former Notre Dame transfer entering his second year with the program, is coming off a season in which he started all 32 contests and averaged 13.3 points per game. Among the returning players, Starling scored the most points compared to last year. Bell, the sharpshooting winger, averaged 12.0 points per game last season and led the Orange in 3-point shooting at 42% from distance.

After a year in which Syracuse struggled with injuries, the Orange welcomes back a redshirt sophomore guard Chance Westry and senior center Naheem McLeodboth of whom missed an extended period of time last winter. McLeod started the first 14 contests of the season before suffering an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the year. During his time on the court, McLeod was an effective rim protector, leading the team with 1.9 blocks per game. Westry, on the other hand, missed the entire 2023/24 season due to an injury sustained in the preseason. The winger is ready to make his debut for the Orange after playing in 11 games in his first year at Auburn.

The fifth returning letterwinner from last year's team is the redshirt junior guard Kyle Cuffe Jr.who began his career at Kansas and is coming off a season in which he made 29 appearances as a substitute for Syracuse and averaged 10.7 minutes per game.

Fresh faces
A busy offseason saw the Orange replenished with experienced talent, with key additions such as graduate center Eddie Lampkin, senior forward Jyáre Davis and senior guards Jaquan Carlos And Lucas Taylor. Lampkin, the transfer from Colorado, played a crucial role in leading the Buffaloes to the NCAA Tournament last season, where he scored 21 points in the team's opening-round win over Florida. Last season, Lampkin averaged 10.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest. Lampkin, who began his career at TCU, will bring veteran size to the frontcourt with 87 career starts. Davis comes to Syracuse via Delaware, where he led the Blue Hens with 17.1 points per game a year ago and scored in double figures in 28 of 32 games. The forward, who began his career at Providence, was named second team All-CAA in 2023-24.

Carlos, a key recruiter for the Orange, remains in-state after three years at Hofstra. The two-time CAA All-Defensive Team member is coming off a productive season in which he ranked first in the conference and No. 12 in the nation with 6.4 assists per game. Taylor, a transfer from Georgia State, was similarly effective as he led the Panthers with 14.5 points per game. He began his career at Wake Forest.

Incoming freshmen
In addition to a host of transfers, the Orange welcome three newcomers to the program this season: Donnie Freeman (F, 6-9, IMG Academy), Elijah Moore (G, 6-4, Our Savior Lutheran) and Petar Majstrovoic (F, 6-8, Haguenau, France). According to ESPN.com, Freeman joins the team as a McDonald's All-American and the No. 6 overall recruit in the 2024 class, making him the second highest-rated recruit in Syracuse history. Moore, who joins the Orange from the Professional Overtime Elite League, was ranked 55th overall and ninth among shooting guards in the 247Sports rankings. Majstrovoic is also ready to make an early contribution as he has professional experience from France.

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).