The Syracuse Orange didn't please new head coach Gerry McNamara with their season-opening win over New Haven earlier this week.
G-Mac was happier after their Thursday night win over Central Connecticut State. McNamara is always going to find moments where SU can improve, but he felt Syracuse was closer to its best self on Thursday.
The score certainly looks a lot better — Syracuse won 102-49.
It was a balanced effort from the Orange, too.
Gavin Doty led the way with 18 points.
Mark Morano had 16 points.
Luke Wilson had 14 points from his center position.
Sadiq White put up 8 points with 10 rebounds. and Garwey Dual rounded out the starters with 8 points and 4 assists.
Off the bench, Kiyan Anthony dropped 14 points for the Orange.
Amarri Monroe and Tasman Goodrick each added 8 points off the bench themselves.
Most notable after the game was the way McNamara talked about Doty and Morano.
McNamara was asked "what it takes to get Gavin Doty's motor going" in his postgame press conference.
G-Mac laughed.
"What does it take to get Gavin Doty's motor going?" McNamara laughed. "Nothing. Nothing. He's going to figure it out. I don't have to do anything to get his motor going. He's gonna play hard every second, every possession. He's gonna find a way. There's no telling Gav he's not playing hard enough. There's coaching him on certain things in terms of over-aggression sometimes. He's gonna find something."
Doty came with McNamara from Siena, and it wasn't immediately clear how he might translate. And sure, this isn't ACC play at the moment. But right now, Doty looks like he belongs, and his motor helps that cause.
Morano hit three 3-pointers in the opener and hit four 3-pointers on Thursday night.
That's going to be his role in the Syracuse starting lineup, to be sure.
"We ran a play for him and he didn't shoot it, so I screamed at him," McNamara said. "He's a good player. Right at the start of the game he got downhill and made a layup. It's undeniable he's a really good offensive player. He can find the net. He's bigger than you think. He's a legit 6-6. The kid's got big-time potential… He shoots the blood out of the ball, and I need him to shoot it when he's open."
Morano came to Syracuse as a highly touted recruit from Slovenia. This is his first college basketball experience, and he's off to a great start.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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