Jim Boeheim and Stevie Thompson confer prior to an exhibition game in the Dome in 2006.
Men's Basketball Tips Off 2008-09 Season Monday
11/2/2008 9:25:06 AM | Men's Basketball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Orange men’s basketball squad begins the 2008-09 season with its first exhibition game on Monday, Nov. 3 against Cal State Los Angeles. Tip time is 7 p.m. at the Carrier Dome. The contest marks the return of Cal State Los Angeles head coach Stevie Thompson to the Dome. Thompson played for the Orange from 1986-90. He was a freshman on the SU squad that advanced to the 1987 NCAA title game and was elected to the school’s All-Century Team during the 1999-00 season.
Tickets for Monday night’s exhibition are available online, by phone through Ticketmaster in the Syracuse area at (315) 472-0700, or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office. Fans not in attendance can watch the game live on Time Warner 26 in the Syracuse area or listen to the action via the Syracuse ISP Radio Network and its flagship TK 99 (99.5 FM). The video and audio streams of the broadcast is available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All Access.
THOMPSON COMES HOME TO THE DOME
Stevie Thompson was part of one of the most successful eras in SU basketball history. During his four years, Syracuse produced a record of 113-31 (.784), made four NCAA Tournament appearances, won two BIG EAST regular-season titles (1986-87, 1989-90) and won one BIG EAST Tournament crown (1987-88). Thompson was a two-time All-American (1988-89, 1989-90) and still holds the Syracuse record for games played (144). He ranks seventh in school history in points (1,956) and lists second in career field goals made (801).
Stevie Thompson was part of one of the most successful eras in SU basketball history. During his four years, Syracuse produced a record of 113-31 (.784), made four NCAA Tournament appearances, won two BIG EAST regular-season titles (1986-87, 1989-90) and won one BIG EAST Tournament crown (1987-88). Thompson was a two-time All-American (1988-89, 1989-90) and still holds the Syracuse record for games played (144). He ranks seventh in school history in points (1,956) and lists second in career field goals made (801).
ABOUT THE ORANGE
Syracuse is receiving votes in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today preseason polls. The Orange returns three players that started all 35 games a season ago in sophomore Jonny Flynn (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) and juniors Paul Harris (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) and Arinze Onuaku (Lanham, Md.). Flynn was the BIG EAST Conference co-Rookie of the Year and averaged 15.7 points per game in his first collegiate season. He finished the year with a squad-best 185 assists, the second-highest freshman total in SU history.
Syracuse is receiving votes in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today preseason polls. The Orange returns three players that started all 35 games a season ago in sophomore Jonny Flynn (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) and juniors Paul Harris (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) and Arinze Onuaku (Lanham, Md.). Flynn was the BIG EAST Conference co-Rookie of the Year and averaged 15.7 points per game in his first collegiate season. He finished the year with a squad-best 185 assists, the second-highest freshman total in SU history.
Harris almost doubled his scoring average from his rookie season with 14.5 points per outing in 2007-08. He averaged 8.2 boards per game and earned second-team all-league honors. Harris scored in double figures in 30-of-35 contests last year and connected on 173 free throws, the seventh-best season total in Orange history.
Onuaku was a pleasant surprise in his return from knee surgery last season. He ranked second in the BIG EAST and ninth nationally in field-goal percentage (.628) and recorded the best scoring average for an SU center since 1999-00 at 12.7 points per game. He averaged 8.1 rebounds per contest and notched 10 double-doubles.
Syracuse will receive a lift on perimeter from the return of juniors Andy Rautins (Jamesville, N.Y.) and Eric Devendorf (Bay City, Mich.). Both players missed significant time with knee injuries last year. Rautins missed the entire season due to a torn ACL he suffered the previous summer, and Devendorf had his 2007-08 campaign cut short in December when he went down against East Tennessee State. At the time, Devendorf was averaging 17.0 points per game.
The Orange will also benefit from the return of senior forward Kristof Ongenaet (Ghent, Belgium). Ongenaet started 10 games last season. He averaged 4.5 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per contest. A scrappy player, Ongenaet tallied a season-best 13 points in the Orange’s first round win against Robert Morris in the NIT.
Three talented newcomers have joined the Orange roster in junior transfer Wesley Johnson (Coriscana, Texas), and freshmen Mookie Jones (Peekskill, N.Y.) and Kris Joseph (Montreal, Quebec). Johnson has been impressive in practice after coming to Syracuse from Iowa State where he averaged 12.4 points per game as a sophomore. He will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules. Jones led Peekskill High School to three New York state titles and scored 1,878 career points, while Joseph starred for Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. Joseph was ranked the 17th-best small forward in the class of 2008 by Rivals.com.
Head coach Jim Boeheim begins his 33rd season at his alma mater. Boeheim, a 2005 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, owns a career record of 771-278 (.735) and is fresh off helping Team USA capture the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. He enters this year fifth among active coaches, and 11th all-time in wins, and 10th among active coaches in winning percentage.
SCOUTING CAL STATE LOS ANGELES
Monday’s game is the first of three exhibitions for the Division II Golden Eagles. Cal State Los Angeles will also play San Diego on Nov. 8 and UC-Santa Barbara on Nov. 14 before opening the regular season against Grand Canyon in Phoenix, Ariz.
Monday’s game is the first of three exhibitions for the Division II Golden Eagles. Cal State Los Angeles will also play San Diego on Nov. 8 and UC-Santa Barbara on Nov. 14 before opening the regular season against Grand Canyon in Phoenix, Ariz.
Thompson guided Cal State Los Angeles to a breakout season in 2007-08. The Golden Eagles compiled a 17-11 overall record. The 17 wins were the most since 2000 and the Golden Eagles also finished in a tie for third in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, its best finish since in eight years.
The Golden Eagles qualified for the CCAA Championship Tournament, losing to San Francisco State, 60-57, in the first round.
Cal State Los Angeles returns three starters and five key players from last year’s squad. Senior forward Chris Mark, who led the team in rebounding last year and averaged 10 points a game and senior guard/forward Demetrius Hazel, who led the team in 3-pointers and averaged 10.6 points a game are back. The Golden Eagles will also be bolstered by the return of Christofer Hart (8.0 ppg.), junior forward Tyler Polo (6.8 ppg.) and Trenod Smith, who played in 24 games as a freshman.
THE SERIES
Monday night’s game marks the second time in the last three years Syracuse has hosted the Golden Eagles in an exhibition. The Orange posted a 99-51 victory in the first meeting between the two teams on Nov. 5, 2006. Former SU standout Demetris Nichols led all scorers with 18 points in the first meeting.
Monday night’s game marks the second time in the last three years Syracuse has hosted the Golden Eagles in an exhibition. The Orange posted a 99-51 victory in the first meeting between the two teams on Nov. 5, 2006. Former SU standout Demetris Nichols led all scorers with 18 points in the first meeting.
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