Struggling Syracuse looks to climb back above .500 when it hosts Albany on Tuesday night.
The Orange (4-4) are coming off a conference loss to Notre Dame where they failed to make a 3-pointer in a game for the first time in more than 10 years, going 0-for-9 from behind the arc. They will be without leading scorer J.J. Starling, who broke his hand in practice last Monday.
Orange coach Adrian Autry said there was “no timetable” for Starling’s return after the loss to the Fighting Irish and lamented his team’s struggles with turnovers and free-throw shooting in the defeat.
“Too many blown opportunities,” Autry said. “We’re not shooting the ball well. We have to adjust and go game by game now. Our front court has been pretty secure, but we have to keep working and getting better.”
Starling was averaging a team-high 19.8 points before his injury. The Orange may need to lean more on freshman Donnie Freeman, who has been a standout for Syracuse this season. He’s averaging 12.8 points and 8.8 rebounds and already has four double-doubles. He was co-ACC Rookie of the Week last week.
Defensively, the Orange have struggled. They rank No. 329 in scoring defense, giving up 79.4 points per game. Albany is scoring 77.2 ppg so far this season.
The Great Danes (6-4) were downed by Boston University 80-74 in overtime on Saturday. They started the season 5-1 but have lost three of their last four.
Senior guard Byron Joshua, a transfer from Alcorn State, is the Great Danes’ leading scorer at 13.6 ppg. Amar’e Marshall was an All-America East Conference pick last season after averaging 16.7 points, but his field goal shooting has dropped from 43.4 percent last season to 34.5 percent this season. He is scoring 11.7 ppg.
“I think we’re learning how to compete at the right level,” Albany coach Dwyane Killings said after a loss to Georgetown on Nov. 30. “I think the one thing that troubles us a lot is that our identity and our energy comes when the ball goes in the basket. When it doesn’t, I don’t think we have the grit that we need right now.”
Albany has been one of the best teams in the country in terms of steals. The Great Danes average 10.2 steals per game, which is tied for No. 12 in the nation.
Syracuse is 8-0 against Albany all-time with the teams last meeting in 2011. Syracuse is 4-0 at home and 4-0 against non-power-conference opponents.
–Field Level Media
