Orange Returns to Madison Square Garden Sunday

Syracuse at St. John's
Game Details	Sunday, Dec. 13 \| New York, N.Y. \| 12 p.m. Madison Square Garden
Game Coverage	TV: Fox Sports 1 Radio: Syracuse IMG Network \| Audio \| Stats Twitter: @Cuse \| @Cuse_MBB Instagram: @cusepics \| @cuse_mbb
Syracuse Links	Notes \| News \| Roster \| Schedule
St. John's Links	Notes \| News \| Roster \| Schedule

NEW YORK – Syracuse returns to Madison Square Garden to face St. John's on Sunday, Dec. 13. Opening tipoff is scheduled for noon.

The game will be televised on Fox Sports 1. Fans can listen to the game on the Syracuse IMG Radio Network and its flagship station, TK99. Live stats can be found at Cuse.com

TOP 5 STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
THE ORANGE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
Syracuse returns to Madison Square Garden for the 169th time. This marks the 33rd consecutive season the Orange has played at least once in the storied facility. Syracuse is 75-46 at MSG. The Orange played two games at the Garden during the 2014-15 season, the last a 66-63 victory against Iowa in the 2K Classic to take third place in the tournament.

FOLLOW THE LEADER
Graduate student Michael Gbinije leads the ACC in steals per game (2.89), three-point field goals per game (3.44), three-point field-goal percentage (50.0), total 3-point field goals made (31) and total steals (26). He ranks fifth overall in the NCAA for total steals and seventh for steals per game. Gbinije ranks third in the ACC for scoring with a 19.7 points-per-game average. His performance so far this season has him on several watch lists, including the early Naismith Trophy Watch List for the Men's College Player of the Year.

ORANGE DEFENSE
Several Syracuse players have put up impressive defensive stats this season. Michael Gbinije and Trevor Cooney take the first and second spots in total steals in the ACC with 26 and 17, respectively. Freshman Tyler Lydon captures the sixth spot in total steals with 14. Lydon holds the second spot in the ACC rankings for blocked shots with 21 this season, only one behind the conference leader. The zone prevails and the Orange has the number one three-point field goal defense in the ACC.

FOR THREE
The Orange has been working opponents from behind the arc so far this season. Syracuse leads the ACC in total three-point field-goals made with 88. Almost half of the Orange's points this season have come from behind the arc. Freshmen Tyler Lydon and Malachi Richardson have added to the Orange's distance threat, giving the Orange four long-range options along with veterans Trevor Cooney and Michael Gbinije from last season.

FORMER BIG EAST FOE
The Orange will play St. John's for the 89th time since their first meeting in the 1911-12 season. Both programs were part of the original seven members of The BIG EAST Conference. The Red Storm came to the Carrier Dome last season posted a 69-57 victory. Syracuse leads the all-time series, 51-38.

UP NEXT…
The Orange returns to the Carrier Dome on Saturday, December 19 at 12 p.m. as it takes on Central New York foe Cornell.

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Players Mentioned

Trevor Cooney

Michael Gbinije

Tyler Lydon

Malachi Richardson

Syracuse University Athletics