SYRACUSE -- The #10 Syracuse Orange men's basketball team starts the real season this Friday night at the Carrier Dome against Northern Iowa.
The Panthers made it all the way to the "Sweet 16" last year after knocking off #1 Kansas. While Northern Iowa has lost three starters from last year's team, so have the Orange since their own "Sweet 16" loss. The Orange have also lost their top two three-point shooters in Andy Rautins and Wes Johnson. That did not seem to make a difference in Tuesday night's 91-48 preseason win over Le Moyne, as the Orange hit 11 of their 16 three point attempts, six different orange players hit threes including Mookie Jones hitting three of five and James Southerland nailing three of four.
"We got good looks," says junior forward Kris Joseph, "it wasn't contested threes most of the time, it's just someone was at the right place at the right time getting the open shots. And that's due to our point guards Scoop Jardine, Brandon Triche and Dion Waiters was getting our guys open and setting out guys up around the three point line."
"Our defense picked up and we made threes," says junior guard Scoop Jardine, "we made our shots, James (Southerland) got off all his shots, Mookie (Jones) hit his shots, and we were able to get out and run because our zone helped us out tonight."
Click on the video player for more on SU's big three point night.