Syracuse basketball’s senior guard, J.J. Starling, suffered a lower-body injury and was ruled out for the game after just three minutes of play.
The Orange walked away with an 85-47 win against the Binghamton Bearcats, without their star guard.
When Starling checked out, he grimaced while holding his leg and sat on the floor. Last season, he missed seven games with a broken bone in his left wrist. Before this season began, head coach Adrian Autry emphasized the importance of the team staying healthy.
“When J.J. went down, we went to the next man up,” Autry said. “You hear that a lot, but that’s what this team can do.”
With Starling sidelined early, Kiyan Anthony saw an increase in playing time. He logged 28 minutes and scored 15 points, shooting 50% from the field.
There is currently no official update on Starling’s injury, and his availability for the next game remains uncertain. The team believes the injury is not severe, noting it was a good sign that he stayed on the bench to cheer on his teammates for the rest of the game.
Syracuse basketball also got strong performances from point guard Naithan George and forward Donnie Freeman, in Starling’s absence. George finished with 14 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, and 5 steals. Freeman added 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
George connected frequently with forward William Kyle III in the pick-and-roll. Kyle ended the game with 16 points, 5 rebounds, and shot 8-for-9 from the field.
“Will is my guy; we bond on and off the court perfectly,” George said. “We played pick-up when I first got here, and I happened to throw a half-court lob to him, and that just set it off.”
George also finds it important to play complimentary basketball. Not only being an efficient point guard offensively, but helping out on the defensive side too.
“I get lost in the little things,” George said. “I kinda wanted to pride myself on defense more this year. I don’t want to be seen as a liability when we have the size.”
Despite the lopsided win, Syracuse basketball struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 4-for-21 from 3-point range. The Orange also started slowly from the field, shooting 38% in the first half, but found their rhythm after halftime, shooting 68% in the second half.
Defensively, Syracuse basketball tallied 11 steals and forced Binghamton into 22 turnovers. The Orange’s energy and pressure are looking to continue and build upon this game as the team faces better opponents later this season