Syracuse, Georgia Tech Set For Tuesday Tilt

Game Details: Tuesday, Jan. 7, Syracuse, N.Y., 7 p.m.
TV: ACC Network
Live Coverage: Stats
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Georgia Tech Links: Notes | News | Roster | Schedule

Syracuse (6-8, 0-3 ACC) returns home Tuesday for its first game at the JMA Wireless Dome in 2025, as the Orange welcome Georgia Tech (8-7, 2-2 ACC) for a conference matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the contest will be aired live on ACC Network.

Setting The Stage
J.J. Starling returned for the Orange on Saturday at Florida State, scoring 12 points in his return. However, despite an additional 18 points by Chris Bell and a double-double from freshman Donnie Freeman, Syracuse lost to the Seminoles, 90-74.

The Yellow Jackets have split four ACC contests this season, the most recent of which was an 85-64 home victory Saturday against Boston College. Georgia Tech also knocked off Notre Dame, 86-76, on New Year's Eve, the second triumph in its current three-game winning streak.

Damon Stoudemire is in his second season leading the Yellow Jackets as head coach. Stoudemire guided Georgia Tech to 14 wins in his debut campaign, including victories over Clemson, Duke and North Carolina, all of whom reached the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament.

The Syracuse-Georgia Tech Series
The series between the Orange and Yellow Jackets is level through 18 meetings, 9-9. Georgia Tech has seized the last games against Syracuse, with last year's bout between the squads coming at McCamish Pavilion. The Yellow Jackets scored eight of the final 11 points to earn the victory.

Syracuse's last victory against Georgia Tech came on Jan. 21, 2023, at McCamish. The Orange are 5-3 against the Yellow Jackets at the Dome.

Welcome Back, J.J.
Playing for the first time since Nov. 27, Starling returned to Syracuse's starting lineup Saturday against Florida State to make an immediate impact. He knocked down his first attempt of the contest, a 3-pointer from the top of the arc, before drilling another jumper on the next Orange possession. With Starling on the floor to open the game, Syracuse established an early 12-10 advantage.

Starling, who missed the previous seven games with a hand injury, finished the first half as Syracuse's leading scorer with seven points. He finished the night 5-of-16 from the field in 32 minutes of action.

On the season, Starling is Syracuse's leading scorer with 18.7 points per outing. He has reached double figures in all seven of his appearances on the campaign and his 38 points from the Orange's double-overtime victory against Youngstown State are still the most by any ACC player in a game this season.

Fantastic Freshman
Freeman has been a catalyst for the Orange in his debut campaign. He registered his sixth double-double of the season Saturday at Florida State behind 16 points and a team-best 10 boards. The rookie is averaging 15.3 points over the last nine games and has scored 15 or more in six games over that stretch.

Freeman has been a versatile scorer and is shooting over 50-percent from the field (68-of-135), 33-percent from beyond the arc (12-of-36) and 80-percent from the free throw line (39-of-49). The freshman has hit double figures in points in nine of 14 contests this season and has notched double-digit boards on seven occasions.

Ring The Bell
Bell is coming off one of his best scoring efforts of the campaign against Florida State, as the junior tallied 18 points, tied for his second most in a game this season. Bell, who came off the bench for the first time in his career after 75 consecutive starts, went 4-of-4 from beyond the arc against the Seminoles and 6-of-7 from the free throw line.

His four triples against Florida State helped the Orange to a season-best 10 as a team. On the season, Bell leads the Orange with 15 made 3-pointers.

Carlos Rising
Jaquan Carlos was a stellar scorer and distributor in December, as the senior point averaged 10.1 points and 6.4 assists in seven contests. The senior recorded a 12-point, 12-assist double-double against Albany, set a new season high with 16 points against Wake Forest and tallied 15 points versus Georgetown.

Carlos' double-double against the Great Danes was the first that included assists for Syracuse since Judah Mintz posted 10 points and 13 assists against Miami on Jan. 20, 2024. His 64 assists this season lead the Orange and rank No. 7 in the ACC.

After shooting just 11 free throws in the first eight games this season, Carlos has attempted 30 foul shots in the last six contests. He has converted on 23 of those tries, which included an 8-for-8 effort against the Hoyas.

Depth Scoring Duo
Lucas Taylor and Kyle Cuffe Jr. have provided a recent spark for Syracuse's offense. Over the last six games, Cuffe Jr. has been a difference maker off the bench, as the redshirt junior is averaging 8.8 points over those contests, which includes a career-best 14-point effort against Wake Forest.

Taylor has played double-digit minutes in every game this season and has made three starts, including Saturday against the Seminoles. He has knocked down multiple triples in four consecutive contests and is 10-of-19 from distance in that stretch. He has scored double figures in each of the last two games after not hitting the mark in Syracuse's first 12 outings this season.

Crashing The Glass
As a team, Syracuse grabs 38.4 rebounds per contest, the fourth most in the ACC. The Orange boast a plus-4.4 margin on the season and have recorded double-digit offensive boards nine times on the campaign, including in four of the last five contests.

Three different Syracuse players have pulled down 10 or more rebounds in a game this season – Freeman (seven times), Eddie Lampkin Jr. (five times) and Jyare Davis (one time). Lampkin has double-digit boards in three of the last four outings, while Freeman has hit double figures in two of the last three.

Scouting Georgia Tech
Lance Terry leads the Yellow Jackets in scoring this season with 15.6 points per contest. Baye Ndongo (12.7) and Javian McCollum (12.5) are close behind, with Naithan George also averaging double figures (10.0). McCollum is currently leading the ACC in free throw percentage, as he has knocked down 32-of-35 attempts (91-percent).

Terry leads Georgia Tech in 3-point makes (37), while Ndongo is pacing the team in rebounding with 6.8 per contest. George's 95 assists lead the Yellow Jackets and are the most in the ACC.

As a team, the Yellow Jackets have connected on the fifth most 3-pointers in the ACC this season (118) and rank just behind the Orange in rebounding with 38.0 boards per contest.

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.

Freeman is Syracuse's second leading scorer this season with 13.4 points per outing. He has six double-doubles in the team's first 14 games and has scored in double figures nine times.

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 9.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per contest with three double-doubles.

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).

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Players Mentioned

Chris Bell

Jaquan Carlos

Kyle Cuffe Jr.

Donnie Freeman

Eddie Lampkin Jr.

Judah Mintz

J.J. Starling

Lucas Taylor

Syracuse University Athletics