Syracuse basketball completed the preseason with a dominant 96-51 win over NCAA Division II opponent Slippery Rock University, in the JMA Wireless Dome.
After a slow start that saw the Orange lead 21-16 with just over 8 minutes left in the first half, Syracuse basketball used their three-point shooting to pull away from The Rock.
The Orange then exploded the lead out to 48 points midway through the second half as they coasted to a controlling win.
Takeaway #1: Questions near the rim
Eddie Lampkin only played five minutes for the Orange in the final exhibition of the preseason.
Early in the contest without the star big man on the floor, Syracuse basketball struggled to get the ball into the paint. This led to an early onslaught of three point attempts from the Orange.
Halfway through the first half, the Orange were 2 for 7 on two-point attempts. And only three of these shots were around the rim.
Syracuse basketball was lights out from behind the arc, but they may have shown their lack of ability to get the ball inside consistently, without Lampkin on the floor.
If the Orange want to find reliable play-making in the paint, some of the less experienced big men will need to make an impact when the regular season begins.
Takeaway #2: Confidence from three
Over the two exhibition games, the Orange have proven their ability to be lethal from behind the arc.
In the Orange’s 96-51 win over Slippery Rock, Syracuse basketball shot 46.9% from behind the arc, knocking down 15 three-pointers. Last season, the most three-pointers that the Orange made in a single game was 13, in a win over Cornell.
Chris Bell was the most impactful in this category, hitting five three-pointers. Over the two preseason contests, Bell shot 9 for 16 from three.
Overall, six different players knocked down triples against Slippery Rock, including freshman Elijah Moore, who added four to Syracuse basketball’s total. Even Eddie Lampkin got in on the action, knocking down his first three for the Orange.
Although Syracuse has not yet faced a Division I opponent in the 2024-2025 season, the Orange’s range could cause problems for opponents in the regular season.
Takeaway #3: The offensive glass
A negative from the win over Slippery Rock was the offensive glass. The NCAA Division II opponent dominated the Orange, 17 to 11 in the offensive rebound category.
Syracuse basketball made up for it on the other side of the ball, as the Orange won the battle on the defensive glass 39 to 25. In the first exhibition game against Clarion, the Orange collected 10 offensive rebounds, to Clarion’s four.
Head coach Adrian Autry also tested out different lineups throughout the game. Many of which kept the Orange’s primary rebounders from getting in a solid rhythm.
Although the Orange did not dominate the offensive glass against Slippery Rock, the start of the regular season should bring a better sense of Syracuse’s rebounding abilities.
Next Game for Syracuse basketball: vs. Le Moyne (0-0), Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.