sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Today we celebrate gingerbread houses, which are fun to both build and eat. They started being built in the sixteenth century in Germany. With the publishing of Brothers Grimm's "Hansel and Gretel" in 1812, which featured an edible house in the woods made entirely of candy and gingerbread, their popularity greatly increased. German bakers began making decorated fairytale-like houses out of gingerbread, which became beloved during the Christmas season. The houses started being adorned with candy, confections, and icing—which represented snow. German immigrants to Pennsylvania brought the tradition of gingerbread houses to the new world.
A great way to celebrate this special day is to stop by the Paciorek Orthodonics website and vote for your favorite gingerbread house. The beautiful SU themed one was made by board legend CuseDoxies. See picture above. Gingerbread House Contest - Paciorek Orthodontics
SU News
How are Syracuse’s Eddie Lampkin and others in their 5th year of college basketball? (Mike’s Mailbox) (PS; $; Waters)
This week’s Mailbox is perfect for the holidays. It’s a mixed nuts, cookie tray, variety pack of beer sort of Mailbox.
We’ve got a little bit of everything with no real theme or centralized topic. Essentially, it’s a bunch of stocking-stuffers.
So without further delay, let’s get to it.
Also, the Mailbox will remain open throughout the holidays, so keep sending your questions to mwaters@syracuse.com. I’ll answer them just like Santa answers all of his letters.
Q: How does the extra year of eligibility work? Is it still Covid-related? I thought we were done with the Armando Bacot class. Eddie Lampkin is a case in point. Kadary Richmond also comes to mind. Both played plenty of games for four years. I don’t think it’s a redshirt thing.
David W.
Mike: Eddie Lampkin is currently in his fifth season of college basketball, but it’s not the result of a traditional redshirt year.
The 6-foot-9 center is taking advantage of the NCAA’s decision to grant an extra year of eligibility to any athlete who participated in the 2020-21 season, which was impacted by the Covid pandemic.
Lampkin began his career at TCU, where he spent three seasons. Last year, he transferred to Colorado, playing one season for the Buffaloes before transferring again to Syracuse.
Armando Bacot used up the last of his five years of eligibility at North Carolina last season. Kadary Richmond, who began his career at Syracuse and transferred to Seton Hall, is now using his fifth and final year of eligibility at St. John’s.
This is the last year of the fifth-year Covid player. Lampkin and the rest of his recruiting class were freshmen during the 2020-21 season. There might be a few exceptions if a player stepped away from the game or took another redshirt year, but the vast majority of college athletes will see the end of the Covid rule this season.
And, for clarity’s sake, Syracuse’s three other transfers, Lucas Taylor, Jyare Davis and Jaquan Carlos, are all fourth-year seniors. They were freshmen in 2021-22, so the Covid rule does not apply to them.
Q: When was the last time a Syracuse opponent made zero 3-pointers?
Ryan D.
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Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video Editor SU currently leads the all-time series 54-45 over Georgetown, winning the last two contests and first between Adrian Autry and Ed Cooley.
Previewing the 100th meeting of Georgetown vs. Syracuse (DO; Wolf)
For the 100th time, Syracuse takes on Georgetown. The storied rivalry gets another chapter Saturday in the JMA Wireless Dome. The Orange and Hoyas have struggled in recent years, with two combined NCAA Tournament appearances in four years, but the rivalry still remains a fixture.
Syracuse is coming off a 102-85 win over UAlbany, breaking a two-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Georgetown suffered just its second loss of the season, falling 73-60 to West Virginia. The Hoyas are in their second season under head coach Ed Cooley, who took over in March 2023. Cooley has tried to revive the program, which went 13-50 combined in the two seasons before he took over.
Here’s everything to know about Georgetown (7-2, 0-0 Big East) ahead of its centennial matchup with Syracuse (5-4, 0-1 Atlantic Coast):
All-time series
Syracuse leads 54-45.Last time they played …
Syracuse defeated Georgetown 80-68 on Dec. 9, 2023, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The Orange trailed by one early in the second half but shot 18-of-30 from the field after the break, while the Hoyas were 12-of-30. SU’s strong shooting allowed it to lead for the final 17:41 en route to its 12-point win.Syracuse’s guards led the way, with the trio of J.J. Starling, Judah Mintz and Quadir Copeland combining for 60 points. Mintz (25 points) dealt with foul trouble in the second half but went 13-of-15 from the free-throw line. Starling knocked down all three of his 3-pointers, while Copeland set a then-career high and capped off the night with a highlight-reel dunk.
KenPom Odds
Syracuse has a 57% chance to win, with a projected score of 78-76.The Hoyas report
In Cooley’s first season in charge, Georgetown went 9-23 and finished 2-18 in the Big East. The only team with a worse conference record was DePaul, which went 0-20. In the offseason, Cooley completely rebuilt Georgetown’s roster. The Hoyas lost six of their top eight scorers from last season, while Jayden Epps was the only returning starter.Through eight games, Epps is Georgetown’s second-leading scorer at 14.2 points per game. In the transfer portal, Cooley brought in Micah Peavy from TCU and Ivy League Rookie of the Year Malik Mack from Harvard. Both Peavy and Mack are averaging around 13 points per game and shooting 39% from 3.
Outside of that duo, no Georgetown player is shooting above 33%. As a team, the Hoyas are knocking down 29.2% of their looks from beyond the arc, which is 304th in the country, per KenPom. The Hoyas primarily attack inside, getting 57.4% of their points from 2-point range, which ranks 21st in the country, per KenPom, but are also shooting 56% from inside the arc.
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Beat writers split on if Syracuse will defeat Georgetown (DO; Staff)
After back-to-back road losses, Syracuse got back to winning ways Tuesday by defeating UAlbany 102-85. The Orange put together their largest offensive output of the year, led by a career-high 24 points from Donnie Freeman and a double-double by Jaquan Carlos.
Following Syracuse’s win over the Great Danes, it welcomes Georgetown to the JMA Wireless Dome for their 100th-ever meeting. The Hoyas are in their second year under head coach Ed Cooley and have started 7-2. Saturday will be Cooley’s second time taking part in this rivalry, with Syracuse beating Georgetown 80-68 last season in Washington, D.C.
Here’s how our beat writers feel Syracuse (5-4, 0-1 Atlantic Coast) will fare against Georgetown (7-2, 0-0 Big East) in the centennial matchup:
Zak Wolf (9-0)
Rivalry dub
Syracuse 75, Georgetown 70
Syracuse finally looked like it knew what it was doing offensively Tuesday. The Orange let Carlos push the pace and he spread the ball around accordingly. Tuesday’s performance was exactly what the Orange needed, especially with J.J. Starling still out with a broken hand. I think Carlos’ confidence will carry over to Saturday, and he’ll continue to set up his teammates and run the offense efficiently.
Carlos can’t do it alone, though. He needs his teammates to hit shots. Freeman hit a career-high four 3s against UAlbany, and though that probably won’t be repeated, the freshman has been playing really well lately. He’s totaled at least 20 points in three of SU’s last four games. He’s started to display a more polished offensive game, and it seems like he’s getting the hang of the physicality of college basketball.
Georgetown does have some size with freshman Thomas Sorber, but Freeman’s mobility can provide the Hoyas with problems. Georgetown has seven wins this year, but none are against notable teams. A 21-point home loss to Notre Dame and a 13-point defeat to West Virginia are better indicators of this team’s skill level than its blowout victories over mid-major teams. That doesn’t mean Syracuse will blow Georgetown out of the water, but I do feel the Orange will win a close one down the stretch.
Aiden Stepansky (9-0)
Hoya Saxa
Syracuse 71, Georgetown 74
The 100th-ever meeting between these two former Big East rivals could come down to the wire. The two squads have seen similar starts to the season — falling to Power Four opponents and taking care of lesser competition. Saturday, I see Cooley capturing his first win of the rivalry.
The Orange won by 12 last season in Washington, D.C., led by 46 combined points between guards Judah Mintz and Starling. SU is without both Saturday, and while Freeman has noticeably increased production as of late, I don’t see him getting enough help to push past the Hoyas.
As my fellow scribe Zak stated, Sorber poses a threat inside. The freshman’s inside presence, mixed with the 3-point shooting of Jayden Epps, Micah Peavy and Malik Mack, could cause the Orange issues. Yes, Syracuse just posted 102 points Tuesday, but it looked dreadful down the stretch as its lead diminished. Carlos posted 12 assists, but it’s hard for me to believe that will be a continuous trend, especially with continued poor shooting outside of Freeman and Kyle Cuffe Jr.
In a game the Orange most definitely need ahead of a Maryland matchup and ensuing ACC schedule, they’ll fall just short.
Justin Girshon (9-0)
Hoya Losa
Syracuse 83, Georgetown 80
Syracuse and Georgetown’s rivalry surely isn’t what it used to be when the programs were Big East foes. However, you wouldn’t be able to tell that if you only talked to Freeman. After SU’s win over UAlbany Tuesday, he said he’s had this game circled on his calendar since last year.
The DMV native grew up in Georgetown country. So, even before getting on campus, he was looking forward to the rivalry’s 100th game. And the contest couldn’t come at a better time for Freeman, who scored a career-high 24 points in SU’s win over the Great Danes while nailing four 3s.
Alongside Freeman, I see fellow freshman Elijah Moore having a big game and extending the Orange’s win streak to two. The Hoyas are a quality team, but with the freshmen duo starring and an animated crowd to back it, I see Syracuse defeating its foe.
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Syracuse basketball player Derrick Coleman defends against Georgetown's Dikembe Mutombo #55 during their game at the Carrier Dome in this 1990 Post-Standard file photo.Syracuse Post-Standard
‘Height of the Big East’: Remembering Dikembe Mutombo’s legacy in Syracuse-Georgetown rivalry (DO; Andrews)
Jim Boeheim didn’t know what else he and his staff could do in the 1989-90 season. There was no easy way to prepare for the 7-foot-2, 260-pound, size-22 shoe Dikembe Mutombo and his looming paint presence. So, Boeheim grabbed a broom.
The broom was long with white tape plastered around the coil, reading ‘MUTOMBO.’ Former Syracuse forward Billy Owens said Boeheim and then-assistant coach Wayne Morgan employed the broom during layup drills before facing Georgetown. One coach would stand below the rim, extend it upward and reject every layup SU’s players attempted; even if the broom went through the net on a goaltend, it meant Mutombo won.
The drill’s sheer ridiculousness incensed Syracuse star big man Derrick Coleman during one particular practice, Owens said. In pure disgust, Coleman snatched the broom from Morgan and chucked it across Manley Field House following a rep.
“Coach was saying that Mutombo is coming from the weak side, so you got to be strong with the ball. Take it to his chest,” Owens said of the unorthodox drill. “If he blocks it, he blocks it, but let him know you’re still going to go at him.”
“I don’t know if that helped or not,” Boeheim added.
It didn’t. Mutombo blocked 10 shots across two matchups against Syracuse that season.
Before his 18-year Hall of Fame NBA career, where he won four Defensive Player of the Year awards and became iconic for his shot-blocking prowess, Mutombo starred in the SU-Georgetown rivalry while playing for the Hoyas from 1988-91. His dominant college career helped propel the then-Big East matchup to one of its golden ages. Stars lined up all over the court — Owens, Coleman, Alonzo Mourning — yet Mutombo shined brightest.
Mutombo died from brain cancer on Sept. 30. He was 58. Mutombo’s legacy transcends generations, notably through his acclaimed humanitarian work and timeless finger-wag celebration. Ahead of Syracuse and Georgetown’s 100th-ever meeting on Dec. 14, those who knew, played or coached against Mutombo reminisced on his role in shaping the historic rivalry.
“He’s just the nicest human being you ever want to meet. And it’s hard to say that about a Georgetown guy,” Boeheim joked about Mutombo. “He was a great statesman and an ambassador for the game of basketball. It was sad to see him go. He was a force.”
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Analyzing the top 10 all-time players in Syracuse-Georgetown rivalry (DO; Palmar)
When it comes to Syracuse basketball, no opponent defines the Orange more than the Georgetown Hoyas. Though Georgetown is 291 miles from SU, that didn’t stop the two programs from forming a heated rivalry in the Big East.
The rivalry was born in 1980 when the Hoyas defeated the Orange in their first conference matchup. Overall, Syracuse is ahead in the series, winning 54 games to Georgetown’s 45. The frequency of its matchups has waned since SU left the Big East in 2013, but there hasn’t been any love lost in the 11 years since. The rivalry renews when the two teams meet at the JMA Wireless Dome Saturday.
To commemorate Syracuse’s 100th matchup against the Hoyas, here are the top 10 players from the historic rivalry.
1. Georgetown, C Patrick Ewing (1981-85)
Ewing is the only man who could sit atop this list. The imposing center led Georgetown to an NCAA Championship in 1984, was named the AP College Player of the Year as a senior and was a three-time All-American. He averaged 15.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game and was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in all four years.
He also won eight of his 11 matchups against the Orange, averaging 18.0 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in those contests. Ewing was a dominant force on both ends of the court and became the first overall selection in the 1985 NBA Draft. Following a 17-year NBA career, Ewing was immortalized in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.
2. Syracuse, Carmelo Anthony (2003)
Anthony only played for one year with the Orange, but one could argue he had the greatest true freshman campaign in NCAA history. In his lone year with SU, Anthony led the Orange to their only NCAA Championship, being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. He averaged 22.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, leading to an All-American selection.
He went undefeated in his three rivalry matchups, averaging 24.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists against the Hoyas. Anthony was one of the few SU players Georgetown couldn’t defeat. After completing a lengthy NBA career, primarily with the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets, he’ll certainly join Ewing in the Hall of Fame when he’s eligible in 2026.
3. Georgetown, G Allen Iverson (1994-96)
Iverson only played two seasons with Georgetown, but that was more than enough time to leave his mark on this rivalry. He split his four matchups against the Orange, averaging 21.5 points, 5.3 assists and 4.0 steals per game against SU.
Throughout his college career, Iverson averaged 23.0 points, 4.6 assists and 3.2 steals per game and was also named Big East Defensive Player of the Year in both seasons with the Hoyas. Similarly to Anthony and Ewing, Iverson was named an All-American in his final college season and embarked on a Hall of Fame career with the Philadelphia 76ers.
4. Georgetown, C Alonzo Mourning (1988-92)
Syracuse often defeated Mourning when they faced off, but he still caused the Orange plenty of trouble. Despite winning just three of 10 matchups, he averaged 18.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game against SU.
Mourning averaged 16.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game across his four seasons with Georgetown, earning two All-American selections in the process. After a lengthy NBA career primarily spent with the Miami Heat, Mourning became the second Georgetown player to earn a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
5. Syracuse, Derrick Coleman (1986-90)
Coleman faces the possibility of being the first non-Hall of Famer on this list. Though he may not have had the NBA success of his peers, Coleman was a No. 1 overall pick for a reason, and he gave Georgetown several tough matchups throughout his four years.
Similarly to Mourning, he only won three of his 10 matchups in the rivalry, primarily due to the talent the Hoyas had. In his 10 games against Georgetown, Coleman averaged 15.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. He was honored as an All-American as a senior and claimed the Big East Player of the Year that season.
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Syracuse basketball staff watches 5-star Jordan Smith knock off nation's No. 1 team (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse basketball coaches continue to recruit 2026 five-star shooting guard and top-five national prospect Jordan Smith Jr. extremely hard.
On December 7, per social media posts, the 6-foot-3 Smith and his team, St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., took on the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., as part of the National High School Hoops Festival in Hyattsville, Md.
As I noted in another column, ESPN recruiting director Paul Biancardi last week had IMG as the No. 1 high school program around the country, while St. Paul VI checked in at No. 23 in Biancardi's top 25.
St. Paul VI scored a 67-63 upset of IMG. And per top analyst/scout Colby Giacubeno, Orange head coach Adrian Autry and assistant coach Brenden Straughn were on hand to see Smith, who was an All-American as a sophomore with the Panthers, and IMG senior Sadiq White Jr., a five-star forward and a top-20 national prospect who is officially signed with the 'Cuse in its 2025 class.
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Syracuse Men's Basketball resurrects its offense against UAlbany (youtube; video; CitrusTV)
Syracuse Men's Basketball experienced an offensive awakening in the Dome against UAlbany. Chloe Smarz explains what was clicking for the Orange.
Keeping Up With The 315 12-11-24 (youtube; radio; The 315)
Brian Higgins gives his takeaways from Syracuse basketball’s win over Albany, gives some college football transfer portal updates, and assesses Syracuse basketball’s individual performances so far.
30 Minutes in Orange Nation 12-11-24 (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
Steve Infanti and Paulie Scibilia recap Syracuse men’s basketball’s 102-85 victory over Albany, take a caller to discuss Syracuse basketball, and look ahead to the Georgetown game on Saturday.
https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/ualbany-men-s-basketball-played-frustrated-19969465.php (timesunion.com; Kelly)
High highs.
Low lows.
Not too much in between.
That’s been the opening third or so of the University at Albany men’s basketball season, which sees the Great Danes at 6-5 following Tuesday’s defeat at Syracuse.
That 102-85 loss saw some frustrations boil over for the Great Danes. It was another game against a high-major program where UAlbany struggled to stay competitive, and another contest that saw the Great Danes unable to defend at an adequate level. Even in some of the Great Danes’ wins this season, their defense has been subpar, but Tuesday’s game against the Orange of the Atlantic Coast Conference saw a period when coach Dwayne Killings’ team “played frustrated” as it failed to get stops.
“I was really disappointed in some of our leadership in huddles, in the locker room,” Killings said. “When the game got harder, I thought we got really frustrated.”
With a significant size advantage, Syracuse made a robust 63.5% of its field-goal attempts as the Orange became the seventh UAlbany opponent this season to make at least half its shots from the floor. UAlbany was competitive early and late with Syracuse, but the middle of the game saw the Orange balloon its lead to 24 points amid little resistance from the Great Danes.
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Cuse Basketball shows signs of a tournament team (itlh; Fiello)
Following along with the recent Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team win over Albany 102-85, I felt this overwhelming feeling of hope. It wasn’t perfection as Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry shared in his post-game press conference, but there was definitely a decent-sized run where I saw what I feel like could be a NCAA tournament team.
Look I get it. This team is 5-4 not 9-0 or even 8-1 so I get the skepticism BUT I think there are things to consider as well. I know to some people all they care about is winning but I like to try and look at things differently, and I think this team still has potential.
First off, JJ Starling is out for an indefinite period of time right now after starting off by leading this team. His return when healthy will only help because in my opinion, JJ is that guy who will be able to step back in and do what’s needed to help this team win.
Syracuse basketball showed some encouraging signs in its win against Albany.
Donnie Freeman and Elijah Moore are freshmen both looking like they’re getting better every game. Freeman even led the team in scoring in the Albany win despite not being in the starting lineup due to not feeling well, according to Coach Autry.
Chris Bell, who started the season struggling and was 0-3 from three in the game but perfect from the free-throw line, hit other shots and finished with 18 points overall. And I still believe within him lies that guy we saw last season who still has the ability to go 6-6 from three at some point in this season.
Eddie Lampkin isn’t diminishing the legacy of 44…he is providing a lot of great and impactful work. Watch the highlights of the games alone and see how often he is factored in, especially with his passing ability and his ability to rebound as well.
There are still 22 games remaining on the schedule plus the ACC tournament. What I saw in that Albany game as the first half went on and the second half began made me now more optimistic about those 22 games and their chances. I don’t care if it’s Albany because I know someone will say “yeah but it was just Albany and they should win that.”
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Syracuse Men's Basketball on Instagram: "Sharpshooter "
852 likes, 21 comments - cuse_mbb on December 11, 2024: "Sharpshooter ".
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Dan Tortora on Instagram: "“Peeling Back the Orange” - DT w/ Syracuse Orange Men’s Basketball senior forward Jyáre Davis inside 2024-25 season on being on a team of many new faces, chemistry, the SU - Georgetown rivalry, & More️ #Syracuse #collegeba
2 likes, 0 comments - wakeupcall_dt on December 11, 2024: "“Peeling Back the Orange” - DT w/ Syracuse Orange Men’s Basketball senior forward Jyáre Davis inside 2024-25 season on being on a team of many new faces, chemistry, the SU - Georgetown rivalry, & More️ #Syracuse #collegebasketball...
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Syracuse Men's Basketball on Instagram: "Look out below "
786 likes, 7 comments - cuse_mbb on December 11, 2024: "Look out below ".
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Syracuse Orange on Instagram: "Coming to Saturday's @cuse_mbb game vs. Georgetown? Check out the newest part of the JMA Dome gameday experience: Miron Victory Court!"
362 likes, 1 comments - cusepics on December 11, 2024: "Coming to Saturday's @cuse_mbb game vs. Georgetown? Check out the newest part of the JMA Dome gameday experience: Miron Victory Court!".
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Noted Finger Lakes craft brewery to open a taproom on Syracuse’s Tipp Hill (PS; Cazentre)
A successful craft brewery with locations in the Finger Lakes and the Rochester suburbs plans to open a new tasting room in Syracuse’s Tipperary Hill neighborhood.
Aurora Brewing Co. announced on social media this week that it plans to take over the spot occupied by Now & Later, a taproom and bottle shop at 620 Ulster St. at the corner of Avery Avenue. It is expected to open in early February.
Now & Later is closing the 9-year-old Tipp Hill location on Dec. 24. It’s opening in a new location, with a slightly different format, in the former Nynex Building at 300 E. Washington St. later this week.
Aurora owners Mark Grimaldi and Joe Shelton said they chose the Now & Later location because of their long friendship and business relationship with Now & Later owner Jason Purdy. Now & Later has been pouring Aurora beers on tap and selling them in cans for years.
Aurora has been looking to expand to Syracuse for some time, Grimaldi said today. The Finger Lakes brewery has been a destination for Central New York beer enthusiast for years.
“We are so looking forward to seeing all our Syracuse friends right there on Tipp Hill,” Grimaldi said. ”After all the support we’ve had from Syracuse folks, it’s nice that we can now show our love and support for Syracuse."
Grimaldi also singled out Purdy for “making the transition as smooth and easy as possible.”
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Syracuse has nation’s worst child poverty rate: ‘We don’t want to be first for that’ (PS; Tampone)
Syracuse has the nation’s worst child poverty among larger U.S. cities, according to new census estimates released Thursday.
The city had a child poverty rate of 45.6% in estimates covering the five-year period from 2019 to 2023. That’s down 0.7 percentage points from the previous five-year period.
But it still had the worst rate in the nation among more than 340 U.S. places with populations of at least 100,000 people and that had poverty data available from the Census Bureau.
Over 13,600 kids were living below the poverty line in Syracuse in the period covered by the new estimates. For a family of four with two children in 2023, that meant an annual income of $30,900 or less.
Syracuse has long had one of the highest rates of child poverty in the nation. The city routinely ranks at or near the top of the list of places with the worst child poverty in the country.
“We don’t want to be first for that,” said Nancy Kearn Eaton, president of the United Way of Central New York.
But she was not surprised by the new rankings: “The increase in the people needing food assistance, people struggling to keep a roof over their heads, has grown dramatically.”
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