Saturday Tiger Tale For Orange

Game Details: Saturday, Feb. 10, Syracuse, N.Y., 12 p.m.
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Listen Live
Live Coverage: Stats
Twitter: @Cuse_MBB | @Cuse
Instagram: @cuse_mbb | @Cusepics
Facebook: Syracuse Orange
Syracuse Links: Notes | News | Roster | Schedule
Clemson Links: Notes | News | Roster | Schedule

Syracuse (15-8, 6-6 ACC) plays the first game of the home-and-home series against Clemson (15-7, 5-6) on Saturday, February 10, at noon inside the JMA Wireless Dome.

SETTING THE STAGE
The Orange bring an 11-1 Dome record into the Clemson matchup. Syracuse has averaged 79.8 points per game in Dome encounters this season.

The Tigers have won two of their last three, most recently taking down #3 North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., 80-76. The win marked the second time in program history that Clemson defeated UNC as visitors.

THE SYRACUSE-CLEMSON SERIES
Saturday's contest will mark the 15^th all-time meeting between the two programs. Clemson has a slight advantage in the series, 8-6. The Tigers took the last matchup against the Orange, 91-73, on Feb. 22, 2023. Syracuse won the two previous encounters, most recently in a 91-78 victory on Jan. 18, 2022.

LAST TIME OUT
Sophomore forward Chris Bell scored a career-high 30 points, which included a personal-best eight 3-pointers, and Syracuse edged out Louisville, 94-92. Sophomore swingman Quadir Copeland scored the final points of the contest on a layup that was goaltended. The Orange held off a last-second long range shot from the Cardinals' sophomore guard Skyy Clark. There were five Orange performers who scored in double-figures -- each a sophomore. The backcourt duo of Judah Mintz (21 points) and J.J. Starling (19) were joined by center Maliq Brown (11) and Copeland (11).

Brown was one rebound away from a double-double and contributed a collegiate-best six blocks, five assists and five steals. According to the NCAA, he is the first Division I player since Antony Tarke (Coppin St.) in Jan. 5, 2021 with at least 10 points, five rebounds, five assists, five steals and five blocks in a game.

ORANGE LEADERS
Mintz ranks third in the ACC in scoring average (18.3 ppg.). He has produced double-digit scoring efforts in 21-of-23 contests this season. Starling averages 13.0 points per game this season and 18.1 over the last seven outings. Brown (10.5 ppg.) tops the squad in rebound average (6.7 rpg.). In the last nine games, Brown has averaged 9.0 rebounds per affair.

Syracuse is second in the ACC in steals per game (9.2) and turnovers forced per game (14.9). Mintz and Brown rank second and third, respectively, in the conference, in steals per contest. Mintz averages 2.13 steals per game and Brown averages 2.09.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Clemson's top scorer, senior center PJ Hall, averages 20.1 points per game and ranks second in the ACC. He is second in the conference in blocks per game, averaging 1.8 per outing. Former Syracuse guard Joseph Girard III, a graduate student, averages 15.0 points per game. Girard is first in the conference in free throw percentage (.931) and third in 3-pointers per game (3.0). Senior guard Chase Hunter (11.8 ppg.) is the other performer for the Tigers averaging double-figure scoring. Junior forward Ian Schieffelin (9.7 ppg.) is atop the squad with 9.6 rebounds per game. Schieffelin has the highest rate of offensive rebounds per game in the ACC with 3.3 per outing.

SYRACUSE FANS CAN VOTE MINTZ FOR COUSY AWARD
Mintz is one of 20 watch-list candidates for the 2024 Bob Cousy Award, which is annually presented to the top point guard in Division I men's basketball. Orange followers are encouraged to participate in three rounds of Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, on hoophallawards.com.

Mintz is also on the watch list for the Naismith Trophy. The list is comprised of 50 student-athletes and will be narrowed throughout the year. The winner of the award will be announced later in the season.

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 Twitter (@Cuse_MBB) and Instagram (@cuse_mbb).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Joseph Girard III

J.J. Starling

Syracuse University Athletics