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Syracuse begins its 2021-22 season against Lafayette at the Carrier Dome. The matchup will feature the debuts of new transfers Cole Swider, Jimmy Boeheim and Symir Torrence along with five-star freshman Benny Williams for the Orange.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Leopards ahead of Tuesday night’s game:

All-time Series:

Syracuse leads 8-0.

Last time they played

Syracuse last played Lafayette on Nov. 25, 1995. The Orange topped the Leopards 87-63 with 20 points from John Wallace. Current Lafayette head coach Fran O’Hanlon presided over the Leopards in that game and will again on Tuesday night. That same season, Syracuse won 29 games and made it to the NCAA Championship game.

KenPom odds

KenPom gives Syracuse a 98% chance of winning with a projected score of 87-64.

The Lafayette Report

Last season, Lafayette played only 14 regular-season games, finishing with a record of 9-5. All of the Leopards matchups were in the Patriot League. Lafayette ended its season losing in the first round of the Patriot League Tournament to Bucknell. Two of the Leopards’ top scorers from last season have also departed the team. Justin Jaworski headed to the NBA G League and E.J. Stephens transferred to Minnesota.

How Syracuse beats Lafayette

Across the board last season, Lafayette was poor defensively. The Leopards were 335th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to Kenpom. That was only against Patriot League opponents. Syracuse is better than the rest of the Patriot League and should win with ease.

The Orange can shoot 3s with the likes of Buddy Boeheim, Joe Girard III and Cole Swider, or they could feed Jesse Edwards and Jimmy Boeheim down low. Regardless of how Syracuse attacks Lafayette, the Leopards won’t prove to be a threat to the Orange’s chance of victory. 

Player to watch: Neal Quinn, Forward, No. 25

Quinn is the player most likely to pick up the scoring burden left behind by Jaworski and Stephens. The 7-foot forward averaged 10.6 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game last season. Quinn may prove to be a solid first test for Jesse Edwards, who is taking over the starting center role as Bourama Sidibe is out to start the season.

Stat to know: 23.5 assists per game

In two exhibition games against Pace and Le Moyne, Syracuse averaged 23.5 assists per game. That is eight more assists per game than last season, albeit against weaker competition. However, it may be a trend to keep an eye on as Syracuse’s new additions adjust to the Orange’s style of play.

Published on November 8, 2021 at 8:39 pm

Contact Gaurav: gshetty@syr.edu