Orange Conclude Non-Conference Slate with Stonehill Monday

Game Details: Monday, December 22, Syracuse, N.Y., 7:00 p.m.
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Syracuse (8-4) wraps up its non-conference schedule on Monday evening, taking on Stonehill (3-9) at the JMA Wireless Dome.

One More Before the ACC
After nearly a two-month schedule that featured three ranked opponents and four matchups against Power-Four foes, the Orange will play its final non-conference contest against Stonehill.

The Orange come into Monday's tilt with an 8-4 record, having won four of their last five, including a marquee win over then-ranked #13 Tennessee.

Syracuse opened the season with four consecutive victories before heading to Las Vegas for the Players Era Festival. The Orange faced a gauntlet of elite competition at the event, pushing last year's national runner-up Houston to overtime before falling in a tightly contested matchup against Kansas and squaring off against Iowa State.

Since returning home, Syracuse has flourished, starting with the victory over Tennessee before trouncing Saint Joseph's. The Orange were narrowly topped by Hofstra after the Pride knocked down 12 3-point shots but rebounded with wins over Mercyhurst and Northeastern.

With ACC play on the horizon, Monday's game provides Syracuse one last non-conference opportunity to build momentum.

Riding the Momentum
Since returning home from the Players Era Festival, senior William Kyle has led the way on both ends of the floor. His 12.8 points per game over the last five contests is tied for a team-best while having racked up 22 blocks. Kyle III has surged up national leaderboards following his past performances, sitting second nationally in blocks per game this season with 3.3. He cleans the glass for Syracuse as well, grabbing 8.2 boards per contest.

Junior Naithan George had his top performance in a Syracuse uniform this past weekend against Northeastern, scoring 22 points, the most by a Syracuse player in a single-game this season. He connected on 12 free throws, including five in the final two minutes to seal up an Orange victory. George led the team in assists as well, with six, marking the tenth time he has been the team's assists leader this year.

Senior J.J. Starling has shined as of late, scoring in double figures in all but one contest since returning from an injury that forced him to miss the beginning of the season. During the homestand, Starling has averaged 12.4 points per game. The veteran is closing in on a milestone as well, sitting just seven points off 1,000 points in his Syracuse career.

Scouting Stonehill
Stonehill enters the Monday matchup at 3-9 on the season and have lost four of their last five. The offense has struggled to find its footing over the stretch, failing to score more than 65 points in all four losses.

The Skyhawks went 15-17 a year ago, including a 7-9 mark in the Northeast Conference. Stonehill was selected to finish third in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll. Hermann Koffi was also selected to the All-NEC Preseason Team

Koffi has lived up to the billing, leading the Skyhawks with 15.3 points per game this season. The sophomore has scored into double digits in all but one game this season. He went for a season-best 27 points against Depaul when he knocked down seven 3-pointers. Koffi has been efficient from beyond the arc, burying 38-of-90 (.422) attempts from deep this season.

Raymond Espinal-Guzman has been strong over the past four games, averaging nearly 12 points per game while grabbing 4.5 rebounds per game. He has also added six blocks over that stretch.

Head Coach Chris Kraus is in his 13^th season leading the Skyhawks. Kraus spent four seasons as a player from 2002-06 and was a member of the squad that won a program record 27 games in 2006. After departing Stonehill, Kraus spent time coaching collegiately in Canada before returning to Stonehill as an assistant for three years before being named head coach in 2013.

Since taking over as the head coach, he has compiled a record of 166-169 and has helped navigate the Skyhawks' transition to the Division I level. Kraus was awarded the NEC Coach of the Year Award in 2022, leading Stonehill to a second-place finish in the league during their first season of Division I competition.

Series History
Monday's matchup marks the first meeting between the programs in nearly five decades. Syracuse and Stonehill last met on February 16, 1976, with the Orange posting a 101-55 victory.

Syracuse Tickets
Season and individual tickets are available at cuse.com/feature/basketball-tickets

Orange Conclude Non-Conference Slate with Stonehill Monday

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Players Mentioned

Naithan George

J.J. Starling

Syracuse University Athletics