The annual Syracuse University Midnight Madness event will take place Friday, Oct. 16 at the Carrier Dome, SU Athletics announced in a statement released Friday. The event is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., with the doors opening at 7 p.m.

This year marks the first time Midnight Madness will be held in the Dome. Traditionally, Midnight Madness has been held in Manley Field House, the original home of Syracuse basketball before the completion of the Carrier Dome in 1981.

Tickets, which are free but required for admission, will become available on Oct. 7 at the Carrier Dome box office and Schine Student Center box office, as well as all cooperating AmeriCU branches.

Customers will be limited to four tickets per transaction.

Midnight Madness, a staple for many college basketball programs, signifies the official start of the college basketball season for both the men’s and women’s teams. In the past, the event has featured 3-point contests for both the men and women, and a slam dunk competition. Both teams will also compete in intra-squad scrimmages.

For SU basketball fans, the event will be the first time to see new highly-touted faces in action. Freshmen Brandon Triche, DaShonte Riley and James Southerland will make their debuts. Iowa State-transfer Wesley Johnson will also return to the court after sitting out all of last season.

On the women’s side, freshmen Carmen Tyson-Thomas, Kayla Alexander, Shakeya Leary and Elashier Hall will highlight the team’s new crop of players.

The men’s team opens up its regular-season schedule Monday, Nov. 9 against Albany in the 2K Sports Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, and the women’s team will face Farleigh Dickinson on Nov. 13 – both at the Carrier Dome.

This marks the third consecutive Midnight Madness held by the Orange after a layoff between 1994 and 2007.

ctorr@syr.edu

Published on September 21, 2009 at 12:00 pm