Tigers Return Home to Play Syracuse
- Luke O'Reilly
- Jan 21
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 22
The Clemson Tigers return home on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, to welcome the Syracuse Orange to Littlejohn Coliseum. The Orange have been struggling to start this season under second-year Head Coach Adrian Autry. Autry replaced the great Jim Boeheim after his last season in 22-23 and has been underwhelming in his second season with Syracuse. Last season, the Orange finished the year 20-12 and fifth in the ACC; however, this season, they are 9-9 (3-4), which ranks ninth in the ACC. After losing their star player to the NBA, Junior J.J. Starling has stepped up and begun to lead this Syracuse roster. The 6’4" guard missed the entirety of December due to injury, but they are currently 7-4 as a team when their star player takes the court. He is averaging 18.5 pts/g, 3.9 rbs/g, and 2.7 asts/g while shooting 44.6% from the field. So far this season, Starling has only struggled from behind the arc and with turnovers, shooting just 26.8% and turning it over 2.5 times per game, which both mark career lows. Expect Clemson’s Jaeden Zackery and Dillon Hunter to guard the junior frequently to take advantage of that high turnover number. Outside of Starling, Syracuse does not have a lot of production from the backcourt, and they attempt to play through their big men. Leading these big men are Freshman Donnie Freeman and Senior Eddie Lampkin Jr. Freeman is a former 5-star recruit and former top player in the nation, and he is averaging 13.4 pts/g with 8 rbs/g. However, the 6’9" freshman has missed their last four outings as he has struggled with a foot injury. His current status is day-to-day, and it is very possible for the star freshman to make his return on the road at a must-win game for the Orange. Lampkin Jr. is a former TCU Horned Frog and Colorado Buffalo who decided to finish his college career in Syracuse, and he has produced so far this season. He is averaging 10.2 pts/g with 8 rbs/g, and his big 6'11" frame makes him a struggle for opposing teams within the paint. Expect Syracuse to attempt to control the rectangle as the Tigers have struggled to have a balanced offensive attack as of late because of a lack of presence within the paint. The Orange's inconsistent x-factor is 6’7" forward Chris Bell. Bell has had up and down games this season, and after an emotional outbreak, it is unclear if he will play against the Tigers. He was a top scorer for this squad last season, but his production has slumped a little in his junior season. The forward has the ability to stretch the floor and take shots from downtown, which has helped balance their offensive attack. It will be crucial for Clemson to ensure Bell does not get going on Wednesday if he plays, or it could lead to a sneaky upset win for Syracuse. Overall, as a team, the Orange have struggled to protect the ball and defend effectively enough to win consistently. They average 12.5 turnovers per game as a roster while letting up over 77 points per contest. Expect the Tigers to take advantage of that high turnover number at home as they should cruise to a victory. Currently, the Syracuse Orange are a Quad 3 opponent for the Tigers as they are ranked 153rd, but if they string together some losses, they could fall to Quad 4 before the end of the year.
Clemson comes into this matchup 15-4 (7-1), looking to stay untouched by lower competition. The Tigers are currently undefeated against Quad 3 and 4 teams, and it has perfectly rounded out their resume so far. The Tigers are coming off of a huge road win at Pittsburgh in overtime because of some big-time plays made in overtime, including a dagger step-back three from Chase Hunter. Hunter finished the night with another 20-point performance alongside five three-pointers, which ties a career high for the longtime Tiger. Fellow Hunter brother, Dillon Hunter, had one of his best games of the season with 10 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Both Hunter brothers will continue to play great roles for the Tigers on Wednesday against the Orange and as the season moves forward. Specifically against the Orange, Coach Brownell is going to need his big men to play a vital role. Syracuse loves to play through their frontcourt, so Ian Schieffelin and Viktor Lakhin will need to be on their A-game. The Chef has been struggling with a back and calf injury, but he still remains great on the court, while Lakhin has struggled as of late. In the last five contests, he is averaging just 5.4 pts/g with just 5 rbs/g as well. He has also shot just 37% from the field, which is unsatisfactory from a true center. Coach Brownell will need his starting center to get back on the right track as ACC play winds down, or the Tigers will find themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard a couple of times. With how inconsistent Syracuse’s defense has been, do not expect Clemson to struggle at home. However, this game will tell everyone a lot about how the Tigers can handle the rest of ACC play.
FEEL FREE TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
AND STAY UPDATED WITH TIGER VIEW MEDIA.
Comments