Sports SUmmary: Syracuse men’s basketball opens season Friday against Bryant

Sports SUmmary: SU basketball opens season Friday against Bryant

The Orange will host the Bulldogs for the first time in program history after Syracuse is cleared to play following Jim Boeheim's positive COVID test.
Published: November 25, 2020
Orange fall short of win against Virginia Tech
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim calls defensive plays from bench during a basketball game against Virginia Tech on Tuesday, January 7, 2020.

Despite coronavirus scares after head coach Jim Boeheim tested positive, Syracuse men’s basketball will kick off their season as scheduled, with a Friday afternoon game against the Bryant University Bulldogs.

Since Boeheim’s positive result, all other players and team members have tested negative. Still, team activities have been paused during the required quarantine period, and the Orange are heading into Friday’s game seriously lacking a good number of practices and scrimmages to prepare for the upcoming season.

This will be the first-ever meeting between Syracuse and Bryant, located in Rhode Island.

Bryant’s roster features two local Syracuse players: Charles Pride, who led Liverpool High School to the 2018 New York State championship, and Luke Sutherland, who led West Genesee High School to the 2019 state championship. Both players won their titles in the Carrier Dome.

Floyd Little runs during a game with the Syracuse Orange. Little was a three-time All-American during his time with the Orange from 1964-1967.
Floyd Little runs during a game with the Syracuse Orange. Little was a three-time All-American during his time with the Orange from 1964-1967.

Floyd Little enters hospice care in late stages of cancer diagnosis

Floyd Little, College Football Hall of Famer from Syracuse, entered hospice care this week related to his fight against cancer, according to former Orange teammate Patrick Killorin.

Killorin has periodically posted updates on Facebook about Floyd’s status since he went public with his cancer diagnosis in May.

“Today we are going to talk about a new stage in Floyd’s journey…Hospice,” wrote Killorin. “Floyd’s courageous battle with a difficult disease (cancer) is now at a critical stage in his life. This is a time when a husband and wife make important decisions regarding potential end of life decisions.”

The post continued, “Through your thoughts and contemplation, send you love and prayers for peace to Floyd, DeBorah and family. Let them know they are not alone and that their courage and love in their battle evoke our own, and that in our prayers, we are one with them in their thoughts, their hearts and their tears.”

Little, who is 78, was a three-time All-American during his time at Syracuse before moving on to an eight-year, Hall of Fame career with the Denver Broncos. Vic Fangio, current head coach for the Broncos, announced that the game ball from Denver’s 20-13 win over the Miami Dolphins this past weekend would go to Floyd.

Jerami Grant lands big deal with Detroit

Syracuse men’s basketball alumnus Jerami Grant is headed to the Detroit Pistons in a surprising three-year, $60 million deal with the Denver Nuggets.

The contract was larger than many projected for Grant, who has been primarily a bench player in Denver during the regular season. However, Grant had a phenomenal performance in the playoffs, coming out on top as the Nuggets’ best defender. Prior to free agency, he turned down his $9.3 million player option for the upcoming season, instead opting to wait for a better deal.

According to the Detroit Free Press, “Grant’s versatility on defense is rivaled by few players, and he has become a strong shooter the past two seasons. He raises the Pistons’ talent. To live up to his contract, he’ll need to do more.”

Orange hockey loses season-opening double header

Syracuse women’s hockey lost both games against Colgate this weekend, dropping a home-and-away season opener against the Raiders.

Colgate’s Eleri MacKay scored the opening goal of the game just 88 seconds into the first period, but Syracuse tied it up less than three minutes later off a shot from senior captain Kristen Siermachesky. Freshman Rayla Clemons, who had Syracuse’s only two goals in Friday’s matchup, nabbed an assist on the goal.

Syracuse was unable to capitalize on the momentum, and the Raiders went on to win 3-1 in Saturday’s game. Orange goalie Allison Small finished the game with 31 saves, bringing her career total to 664 in just 26 games at Syracuse.

Orange women’s hockey, whose schedule is being released week by week, will host RIT for a doubleheader Friday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 29 at 3 p.m.