Long Beach State Returns To Dome On December 6

And so we've come to that point in the Syracuse Orange basketball off-season when the non-conference schedule gets filled out. The latest addition is the defending Big West champion Long Beach St. 49ers.

The 49ers, an NCAA Tournament team last season, released their nonconference schedule on Monday, and it includes a Dec. 6 matchup with the Orange.

LBSU won the Big West conference in 2011-12, finishing the season with a 25-9 record. The 49ers fell to New Mexico in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Before you start freaking out over the fact that we've added yet another NCAA team to the schedule, know that the team only has one returning starter and lose their best player, Casper Ware.

The Niners are familiar opponent for Orange fans. We bested them in the Carrier Dome 79-55 led by Arinze Onuaku's 17-point performance. That game also brought about my favorite Kristof! quote after SU got off to a slow start...

"In general...it's always a little more difficult for us to play against a team that isn't as good as we are. It's hard to play at a great level if the other team doesn't."

If you're going to play Syracuse, don't suck. We don't like it.

And so, let's take a look at the non-conference schedule as it stands right now...

• November 9th - San Diego State (@ USS Midway)
• November 30th - @Arkansas
• December 6th - Long Beach State
• TBD - Three unknown Gotham Classic opponents in Carrier Dome (likely 1st and 2nd week in Dec.)
• December 22nd - Temple @MSG