Friday sports: S.U. basketball starting

Syracuse basketball to tip things off against Lehigh

Syracuse basketball will get their season underway when they host the Lehigh Mountain Hawks on Monday night at the JMA Wireless Dome. The Orange are coming off a disappointing 16-17 season, but they have a lot of talent returning, including preseason All-ACC selection Buddy Boeheim. Lehigh, on the other hand, is coming off a Patriot League Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. They are led by senior guard Evan Taylor, who was named the Patriot League Player of the Year last season.

Keys to the game

The Orange will need to be able to control the tempo of the game and not let Lehigh get into a rhythm. They will also need to be able to shoot the ball well from three-point range. Lehigh is a very good three-point shooting team, so the Orange will need to be able to match them in that area. Finally, the Orange will need to be able to get stops on the defensive end. Lehigh is a very good offensive team, so the Orange will need to be able to get stops when they need them.

Prediction

The Orange should be able to win this game if they play to their potential. They have more talent than Lehigh, and they are playing at home. However, Lehigh is a very good team, so the Orange will need to be careful not to overlook them. I predict that the Orange will win the game by a score of 82-70.