Syracuse Orange star J.J. Starling will miss Tuesday night’s game against No. 3 Tennessee due to a left-hand injury, which he sustained during Monday’s practice.
Despite the injury, Starling traveled with the team to Knoxville. The Orange, who are already dealing with a depleted roster, will face the undefeated Volunteers at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Before the injury was announced, Syracuse was a 19.5-point underdog against Tennessee. According to Syracuse radio play-by-play announcer Matt Park, Starling has a broken hand and will be sidelined indefinitely.
Starling has been a key player for Syracuse, leading the team with 19.8 points per game. He is also fourth in rebounding (4.5 per game) and third in assists (3.0). Having played most of the team’s minutes this season, his absence will force Syracuse to adjust its lineups.
Freshman Elijah Moore, who had his best game of the season against Cornell, is expected to take on a larger role, while Chance Westry may make his debut to help fill the void in the backcourt.
Looking ahead, Syracuse will face Notre Dame in South Bend on Saturday, before returning home to play UAlbany and Georgetown. The team will then travel to Brooklyn to face Maryland just before Christmas.
