Jim Boeheim strolled through the Syracuse locker room while the media interviewed his players. He whispered into Kristof Ongenaet’s ear as a reporter asked the senior a question about not starting in Syracuse’s final exhibition game.

The coach’s message since practice started in October has been about sharing minutes and making them count. After his experience with the gold medal U.S. Olympic team in Beijing, he’s less concerned with who starts. He just wanted to remind Ongenaet of that.

‘No, that’s what I’m saying,’ Ongenaet said to Boeheim as he walked away.

Ongenaet turned back to the reporter.

‘We have nine great players,’ he said, with a smile.

Rick Jackson started in Syracuse’s 73-63 victory over Indiana (Pa.) after Ongenaet started in SU’s first exhibition game last week. Boeheim said he has yet to make a decision on the starter for the Orange’s regular-season opener against Le Moyne Sunday.

Regardless of who starts, Boeheim said, he expects both players to contribute meaningful minutes.

‘Who starts isn’t really that much a concern for me this year,’ Boeheim said. ‘Andy (Rautins) will play just like he’s a starter, even if he’s coming off the bench. I think Ricky will play a lot. I think Kris Joseph could play a lot. Just depends on the game and how things are going.’

For Jackson, the start was the product of the head coach wanting to experiment in a game that doesn’t count in the standings. During the week at practice, Jackson said Boeheim used him at the power forward position – instead of his typical center spot – in five-on-five drills so he could work on positioning with starting center Arinze Onuaku.

‘It’s not doing anything different,’ Jackson said. ‘I play my same game. I’m in there to rebound and block shots.’

Against a small team, like Indiana, Boeheim doesn’t believe Jackson is well-suited for the forward position. But he tried it out anyways, telling Jackson five minutes before tip that he was in the starting five.

‘I like to see him get some time at the ‘4’ just to see if it’s good for him,’ Boeheim said. ‘He’s going to work mostly at center.’

Jackson logged 20 minutes Sunday with four points and nine rebounds, while Ongenaet played 17 before fouling out with just more than 10 minutes to go. Jackson said he could care less if he starts. Ongenaet said he was more motivated coming off the bench because he felt like he needed to prove himself more.

‘For me, it’s important that (Boeheim) knows he can count on me, whether it’s for starting or to come in and bring up the intensity,’ Ongenaet said. ‘It’s a prestige thing, and of course I want to start, but we have nine great players that can rotate. If I don’t start, and after five minutes I come in and help, it’s not a big deal.’

Rautins sits

Andy Rautins did not play in Sunday’s game after spraining his ankle in practice Saturday. He also needed stitches above his eye.

‘He got beat up a little bit,’ Boeheim said. ‘We think he’ll be a couple days. He’ll probably not practice (today). We’re hoping to get him back by the end of the week.’

Rautins, of course, is coming off a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2007-08 season. He played 18 minutes in Syracuse’s first exhibition Nov. 3.

Walk-on guard Justin Thomas injured his right shoulder with about four minutes left in the first half. He did not return to the game and sat on the bench with ice taped to the shoulder.

Free throw woes

Through two exhibition games, Syracuse has missed 26 free throws and is shooting 40.9 percent from the line. Boeheim said it’s a case of the wrong guys being fouled.

Onuaku and Ongenaet were a combined 3-for-9 from the free-throw line. The rest of the team was 5-for-9.

‘They’re not good free-throw shooters,’ Boeheim said. ‘We’re working on it. We’re going to keep working on it. That’s something we have to do.’

Last season, Syracuse shot 66.8 percent from the free-throw line. But Ongenaet said he wasn’t worried about his problems, that it just takes more repetition and focus. Paul Harris, who was 4-for-10 from the line in the preseason, said he’s alarmed.

‘You have to be concerned. Somebody like me, who shoots 75 percent, in two games I’m like 2-for-7 [sic]. That’s really bad. Jonny Flynn, in my opinion, should be a 90 percent free-throw shooter and he missed a couple, too.’

magelb@syr.edu

Published on November 9, 2008 at 12:00 pm