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Syracuse returned to practice Sunday for the first time since Dec. 21, the team announced via Twitter. The Orange paused all basketball-related activities after members of Buffalo — SU’s most recent opponent — tested positive for COVID-19 postgame. SU was forced to participate in contact tracing and go into quarantine for the third time this season.

The third pause resulted in three games — contests against Notre Dame, Wake Forest and North Carolina — being postponed and 12 possible practice days being missed. Unlike the program’s first pause, which came when head coach Jim Boeheim and a player tested positive during the preseason, the Orange have been conducting individual workouts for the last 10 days.

Syracuse has at most three days of team workouts before its scheduled game against Florida State on Wednesday. But the presence of COVID-19 in FSU’s program, which already led to the postponement of its game against Duke on Saturday, jeopardizes the game. 

Heading into the pause, Syracuse had its best start to a season since 2017-18, losing only to Rutgers and averaging 83.7 points per game. The Orange’s most recent game was a come-from-behind, overtime victory over the Bulls in which Quincy Guerrier led SU with 27 points and Alan Griffin and Buddy Boeheim chipped in 24 and 22, respectively.

Published on January 3, 2021 at 6:56 pm

Contact Andrew: [email protected] | @CraneAndrew