Orange, Red Raiders Go For Third Place At UKG Legends Classic

Game Details: Friday, Nov. 22, Brooklyn, N.Y., 7 p.m.
TV: ESPNU
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Syracuse (3-1) will look to rebound Friday night against Texas Tech (4-1) in the third-place game at the UKG Legends Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Setting The Stage
The Orange suffered their first setback of the season Thursday night in the semifinals of the Legends Classic in a 70-66 decision against Texas. Syracuse trailed by as many as 16 before rallying in the second half to take a late lead. Graduate student Eddie Lampkin Jr. scored 12 of his 14 points after the intermission to spark the comeback bid, but Texas iced the game down the stretch with six consecutive free throw makes.

Texas Tech, who is ranked No. 22 in the Coaches poll, fell in a heart breaker to Saint Joseph's in its semifinal Thursday night, 78-77. The Red Raiders won their first four games of the season by an average of 33.8 points. Tech is led by second-year head coach Grant McCasland, who guided the program to a 23-11 record and an NCAA Tournament appearance in his first season in 2023-24.

The Syracuse-Texas Tech Series
Syracuse and Texas Tech have met twice before, with the most recent meeting coming on Nov. 17, 2005. The Orange cruised past the Red Raiders, 81-46, at Madison Square Garden as part of the 2K College Hoop Classic. The first encounter, won by the Red Raiders, came in the 1976 NCAA Tournament.

Starling Starring
J.J. Starling is Syracuse's top scorer this season, as the guard is averaging 20.0 points per game. He tallied a team-best 16 against the Longhorns in the semifinals of the Legends Classic, which followed a career-best 38-point effort against Youngstown State on Nov. 16.

The junior's 38 points against the Penguins were the most an ACC player has scored in a game this season and the most by a Syracuse player since Cole Swider also had 38 at North Carolina on Feb. 22, 2022. Starling played a career-high 49 minutes and scored 31 of his 38 points in the second half and overtime against Youngstown State.

Lampkin Jr. Settling In
Four games into his Syracuse career, Lampkin Jr. has already made a consistent impact for the Orange. He has scored in double figures in all four of Syracuse's games this season and is averaging 14.8 points per contest, the second most on the team.

The center is also pacing the Orange on the season with 19 assists. He has tallied a pair of double-doubles in wins against Colgate and Youngstown State. Lampkin Jr. is coming off a steady offensive performance against Texas that saw him go 6-of-10 from the field.

Balanced Scoring
In addition to Lampkin Jr. and Starling, three more Syracuse players are averaging double figures. Junior Chris Bell (13.5 ppg.), freshman Donnie Freeman (11.0 ppg.) and senior J'yare Davis (10.5 ppg.) round out the top scoring threats.

Freeman posted double-doubles against Le Moyne and Youngstown State. Davis had a double-double of his own against the Dolphins when he led the team with 22 points. Lampkin Jr. also has a pair of double-doubles against Colgate and the Penguins.

Scouting Texas Tech
In the Red Raiders one-point loss to Saint Joseph's on Thursday night, JT Toppin paced the squad with 22 points. Darrion Williams (18) and Chance McMillan (17) also reached double figures. Texas Tech dominated the glass against the Hawks, pulling down 17 offensive boards, 12 of which belonged to Toppin.

Toppin is Tech's leading scorer this season with 20.8 points per contest. He also leads the team in rebounds (11.2 per game) and blocks (9). Williams, McMillan, Kerwin Walton and Kevin Overton all average double-digit points per game. Williams has a team-best 29 assists, while Walton is Texas Tech's top 3-point shooter with 15 makes on 31 attempts.

Freeman, Lampkin Jr. Make Preseason Watch Lists
Freeman is one of 20 players to make the preseason watch list for the 2025 Karl Malone Award, which recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men's basketball. Freeman, a McDonald's All-American and the second-highest Syracuse recruit in program history, is one of two freshmen to make this year's Malone Award watch list.

Lampkin Jr. is one of 20 preseason watch-list candidates for the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, which goes to the top center in men's college basketball. Lampkin Jr. is in his first year with the Orange and is averaging 14.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest.

The list for both awards will be narrowed to 10 in late January, and then to just five in late February. In March, the five finalists for both awards will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar, Malone and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where winners will be selected.

Orange fans are encouraged to participate in three rounds of Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, on hoophallawards.com.

Tickets
Syracuse men's basketball tickets are available online (cuse.com/tickets), by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) and at the Dome Box Office (Gate B).

For complete coverage of Syracuse men's basketball, follow the team on X (@Cuse_MBB) and Instagram (@cuse_mbb).

Orange, Red Raiders Go For Third Place At UKG Legends Classic

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Players Mentioned

Chris Bell

Donnie Freeman

Eddie Lampkin Jr.

J.J. Starling

Syracuse University Athletics