The Albany Great Danes and Syracuse Orange
open their respective 2009-10 campaigns against one another tonight, as they
clash in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at the Carrier Dome.
The Great Danes finished just below .500 at 15-16 overall last season and they
went just 6-10 in the America East Conference, their worst showing since
2003-04. Three starters return for coach Will Brown's club, giving Albany a
chance to rebound.
As for Syracuse, it advanced to the Big East Tournament finals and the Sweet
16 of the NCAA Tournament last season, so it was another successful campaign
under legendary head coach Jim Boeheim, who enters his 34th year and is just
one win shy of reaching the 800-win plateau. He can become just the eighth
Division I coach in NCAA history to accomplish that feat with a victory
tonight. Three key starters from last year's 28-win club, however, are gone,
leaving Boeheim with some work to do, especially after the team was beaten in
an 82-79 final by Division II LeMoyne in an exhibition game at the Carrier
Dome last Tuesday.
Rebounding from that shocking performance shouldn't be a problem though, as
Syracuse has never lost Albany in six previous matchups.
Highlighting the returnees for the Great Danes is Tim Ambrose, a 6-0 junior
guard that can do it all on the court. Last season, Ambrose posted 14.3 ppg,
5.1 rpg and 2.6 apg, displaying his versatility. Providing a nice complement
to Ambrose will be 6-6 forward Will Harris, who turned in 12.9 ppg and 6.5 rpg
in his first season with Albany after transferring from Virginia. Center Brett
Gifford will man the paint and the 6-11 senior is more of a defensive presence
than a scorer, netting just 2.5 ppg last season. Scotty McRae (4.7 ppg, 3.4
rpg) and Billy Allen (1.9 ppg) add some depth in the frontcourt.
Syracuse lost its entire backcourt from last season, but Andy Rautins saw
plenty of time off the bench and is now expected to lead the perimeter game.
The 6-5 senior loves to shoot the trey, hitting 36.6 percent of his 279 long-
range attempts, and he showed he could score (10.5 ppg) as well as set up his
teammates (3.0 apg). Brandon Triche, a 6-4 freshman, is expected to accompany
Rautins along the perimeter and he is a guy that Boeheim has high hopes for.
The frontcourt has a bit more experience with the return of both Rick Jackson
and Arinze Onuaku. The 6-9 Jackson averaged 8.3 ppg and 5.8 rpg last season,
while the 6-9, 258-pound Onuaku produced 10.3 ppg and 7.3 rpg. Wesley Johnson,
an Iowa State transfer, is expected to make an impact for the Orange and he
showed a glimpse of his potential by pouring in 34 points in the team's
surprising loss to LeMoyne last week.
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