Syracuse again walked away victorious in its second exhibition game on Wednesday. The Orange handily took care of Le Moyne 89-52 in its final tune-up before the 2K Classic begins on Nov. 6.
Anytime you win by over 35 points, there’s usually a lot more to be encouraged about than discouraged. Fortunately for Orange, that is exactly the case. With that said, let’s look at who impressed tonight and who didn’t.
Who Impressed
Oshae Brisset
After an impressive first half offensively, Brisset scored just two points in the second. However, when he wasn’t scoring, he was dominating on defense. Oshae may not be SU’s top scorer nor its best defender, but he sure as heck might be the best overall player on the team.
Elijah Hughes
Perhaps the brightest spot of all tonight. After looking sharp in Syracuse’s first exhibition game, Hughes had 21 points on 7-9 shooting (2-3 from three) against the Dolphins. If there’s one thing he’s proven since stepping onto the court for the Orange, it’s that he can flat out score. The East Carolina transfer made shots inside, from mid-range, and from outside. Hughes is a versatile scorer, and if his preseason self is representative of what SU is getting in this guy, opposing teams will have trouble guarding him.
Buddy Boeheim
The fan-favorite from last Thursday’s exhibition, Buddy didn’t completely mimic his performance, but he still played well. The freshman tallied 13 points on 5-9 shooting, but frankly, that’s not too telling.
Boeheim had some tough bounces at the rim, but any shooter knows that’s part of the game. The most encouraging thing Buddy showed Orange faithful was his shot selection. Of all 13 Syracuse players to take the floor, no one took smarter shots than Buddy. Pair that with the scrappy defense he demonstrated tonight, and the Orange may have a player who can really, really help them moving forward.
Who Didn’t
Tyus Battle
This is a tough one. Battle did not play badly, but generally, he just didn’t impress. Yes, injuries forced him into the point guard spot, and his inexperience at the position showed at times. All in all, there was good and bad, making tonight far from either Battle’s best nor worst outing. He made some nice passes, but also seemed to occasionally disappear on offense, especially in the first half. The junior finished with 13 points and five assists without committing a turnover.
In terms of who played poorly, there really was no one for Syracuse who classifies. Everyone pretty much came in, accepted his role, and executed.
In regards to exactly when guards Howard Washington and Jalen Carey are set to return, that remains unclear, with coach Boeheim, in vintage Boeheim fashion, having this to say on Carey:
“I don’t know, I’m not a doctor,” said Boeheim.
Syracuse’s Nov. 6 2K Classic matchup is against Eastern Washington at The Dome. That one will tip off at 7:00 p.m.
