To be good in college basketball, you must beat the bad teams. Syracuse did that, crushing Binghamton 85-47 in SU’s season opener.
In the win, the Orange totaled 10 dunks (most since 2013 versus Monmouth) and were excellent on the glass. SU, especially on offense, looked noticeably more explosive and athletically gifted than the previous 2 seasons under Head Coach Adrian Autry.
Sophomore Donnie Freeman led the Orange with 20 points and 6 rebounds with newcomers William Kyle and Naithan George combining for an additional 20 points.
But SU’s offensive explosion came without Senior J.J Starling, who limped off the court with 17 minutes remaining in the first half and watched the rest of the game from the bench. With Starling out, Kiyan Anthony made his Cuse debut with 15 points in 30 minutes.
Although 5 Syracuse players reached double-digits, SU’s scrappy defense propelled the victory. Bringington scored just 47 points on 33% shooting. SU also forced 22 turnovers and blocked 5 shots. Syracuse’s smothering defense was a stark contrast from last year, where the Orange were 1 of 3 ACC teams to allow over 75 points per game.
Syracuse will host Delaware State this Saturday. The Orange look to stock up on wins before a treacherous 3 game test versus Houston, Kansas, and Tennessee.
