Syracuse Basketball: Top takeaways as the Orange crushes Clarion in home exhibition

We got our first glimpse at the 2024-25 Syracuse basketball roster on Saturday afternoon, as the Orange hosted Division II Clarion University from Clarion, Pa., in an exhibition at the JMA Wireless Dome.

The 'Cuse had no trouble taking care of business against the Golden Eagles, a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference ("PSAC"). The new-look Orange, with five returnees, four transfers and three incoming freshmen, shot better than 50 percent from the field and cruised by Clarion, 101-73.

Syracuse basketball has one more exhibition, this coming Wednesday evening, against another PSAC school, Division II Slippery Rock University from Slippery Rock, Pa. That exhibition will start at 7 pm, with live-streaming coverage on the ACC Network Extra.

Things start for real on Monday, Nov. 4, when the Orange will host nearby Le Moyne at the Dome beginning at 7 pm in the 2024-25 season opener for the 'Cuse.

My key takeaways as Syracuse basketball dominates Clarion in an exhibition.

•Redshirt sophomore guard/wing Chance Westry didn't play in this exhibition due to an illness, but otherwise, all 11 of the Orange's scholarship players saw the court against Clarion. If the 'Cuse 2024-25 roster can remain healthy, head coach Adrian Autry and his top-flight staff will have an extremely deep line-up to use in the upcoming campaign.

•As a unit, Syracuse basketball connected on 53 percent from the field, 35 percent from beyond the arc, and 61 percent from the free-throw line. The Orange led in rebounding, 42-32, and the 'Cuse corralled 10 offensive boards.

•In other statistical categories, Syracuse basketball prevailed 27-11 in assists, 51-22 in bench points, 2-0 in blocks, 24-4 in fastbreak points, 6-2 in steals, 19-4 in points off turnovers, and 11-8 in second-chance points. The teams each had 46 points in the paint. The Orange committed just six turnovers, as compared to 12 miscues for the Golden Eagles.

•Four 'Cuse players notched double-figures in scoring, led by junior guard J.J. Starling, who had 17 points and was 3-of-5 from deep. Junior small forward Chris Bell recorded 16 points, including 4-of-8 from 3-point land.

•In his unofficial collegiate debut, freshman power forward Donnie Freeman didn't disappoint. The 2024 five-star prospect from Washington, D.C., collected 16 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

•Senior point guard Jaquan Carlos, a four-star transfer from Hofstra, is awesome. He produced 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, to go along with 10 assists, three rebounds and three steals.

•Graduate student center Eddie Lampkin Jr., a four-star transfer from Colorado, is a physical presence in the paint, but he also is an excellent passer who helps space the floor well for the Orange on offense. He had eight points, seven rebounds and four dimes.

•Freshman shooting guard Elijah Moore, a 2024 four-star player from New York City, notched seven points and made a pair of 3-pointers. He also had two rebounds and three assists.

•Petar Majstorovic, a freshman big man from Haguenau, France, is going to quickly become a Syracuse basketball fan favorite. Majstorovic finished with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting, as well as two rebounds, one assist and two steals.