When Syracuse players took the floor before pregame introductions Friday night, Michael Gbinije was in grey pants, a grey hoodie and blue and white street shoes.

He didn’t play in the No. 23 Orange’s (1-0) season-opening 89-42 win against Kennesaw State in the Carrier Dome, but afterward SU head coach Jim Boeheim said Gbinije would return to the court Sunday when Syracuse hosts Hampton at 4 p.m.

“No, he’s not hurt, just a team thing,” Boeheim said. “We had a talk about it, he’ll be back Sunday and we go from there.”

Boeheim said he never elaborates when he holds players out.

In preseason, he said that Gbinije would be just as important as any of his starters. And the guard-forward had taken on point guard duties when Kaleb Joseph left the floor in preseason in addition to playing both up top and on the wings of the 2-3 zone.

Sophomore guard Ron Patterson filled in as Joseph’s back-up point guard in his absence.