Syracuse forward Terrence Roberts calls tonight’s exhibition against St. Rose one of the most important games for the Orange this season.

After losing staples Craig Forth, Josh Pace and Hakim Warrick to graduation, Syracuse will see where it stands in its first competition without the Class of 2005. But St. Rose, which visits the Carrier Dome at 7 p.m., probably won’t pose much of a challenge for SU.

The Orange hopes to use the game to evaluate all its players who may see significant minutes in the regular season.

‘These are probably the most important games we’re going to play as a team, because it’s kind of like a practice against another team,’ Roberts said. ‘It’s not going to be like a Texas Tech or a Wake Forest that we can end up going against in the Coaches vs. Cancer (preseason tournament). This is going to be a very serious game for us.’

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim has not said publicly what his starting lineup is. Boeheim and assistant coach Mike Hopkins both joked the starting lineup would be comprised solely of senior Gerry McNamara. But expect the Orange to start McNamara and the four scholarship juniors: Roberts, Darryl Watkins, Demetris Nichols and Louie McCroskey.

Hopkins stressed the major difference in this year’s team is that everyone will have to score this season instead of mainly Warrick and McNamara. It has been the mantra of the Orange all preseason – anyone could come in and have an effect.

‘I think that’s what’s good about this team,’ Hopkins said. ‘All our guys are good. They all play a role. Andy (Rautins) can really shoot it. Arinze (Onuaku) is an unbelievable rebounder and finisher around the basket. Matty Gorman is one big guy who can shoot. We have so many different combinations.’

Boeheim has said since last year the juniors would dictate how well Syracuse would do. Each member of the junior class has shown flashes of promise, but none have sustained it for a long period of time.

Roberts played for the United States’ Under-21 team this summer and feels the international experience helped him improve dramatically. Making the U.S. team gave Roberts some respect nationally and he thinks he’s ready to lead the other juniors in the quest to replace Forth, Pace and Warrick.

‘I’ve been looking forward to this,’ Roberts said. ‘I’ve been looking forward to the hype. I can’t wait to get out there and show everybody what I got. Those guys, I hope they’ll be the same. Don’t let any of the other stuff bother them and just go out there and play their game and show everybody what they got.’

St. Rose will also use today’s game as an opportunity to test itself before the regular season. Golden Knights head coach Brian Beaury said he will use many different defenses against the Orange. He also wants his players to enjoy the experience of playing in the Carrier Dome.

‘I’m looking for our guys to compete,’ Beaury said. ‘I’m not crazy. I’m not stupid. I don’t expect to beat Syracuse; we’re at a different talent level. This is really a coach’s game. It’s for us to evaluate talent.’

‘It’s always fun this time of year,’ Hopkins said. ‘You’ve been practicing against each other for so long and you finally get the chance to play, get a little sugar. It’s also a great test, because now you know you have so much to work on. We got a chance to really see what we have.’

Published on October 31, 2005 at 12:00 pm