PITTSBURGH — Syracuse redshirt freshman forward Matthew Moyer could miss significant time, head coach Jim Boeheim said Saturday afternoon.

“No, I don’t think so,” Boeheim said when asked whether Moyer would play Wednesday at Georgia Tech. “He’s out for a while.”

About half an hour prior to tip-off Saturday, an SU Athletics spokesperson said Moyer had been ruled out. He did not play and sat on the bench wearing a boot on his left leg, supporting his sprained ankle. He looked on as the Orange (15-6, 4-4 Atlantic Coast) beat Pittsburgh (8-14, 0-9), 60-55, at Petersen Events Center.

A sprained ankle could mean Moyer misses only a week or two. Or it could mean several weeks or even months depending on the severity of the sprain, according to the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit medical practice and medical research group.

Moyer had started each of SU’s first 20 games, averaging 4.5 points and 4.9 rebounds. He was shooting 55 percent from the field and averaging 21.3 minutes per game. When he exited Wednesday’s game against Boston College, a double-digit SU victory, freshman Marek Dolezaj posted a career-high 12 points. Dolezaj collected a pair of assists and steals over a career-high 35 minutes. He had a game-high eight rebounds.

As a result of Moyer’s absence, the Orange is down to seven scholarship players (Former guard Geno Thorpe left the program Dec. 1.). It will alter lineups slightly, as Boeheim historically runs with a thin bench.

“We play seven guys,” Boeheim said. “We played seven the last game just about the whole game. You only need five, you can get by.”

One of those seven was freshman Bourama Sidibe, who has been battling tendinitis in his left knee since the summer. It has forced him to miss time, as he had not played 20 minutes in a game — the amount Boeheim expected before the season — since Nov. 27 in a win over Maryland. On Saturday, Sidibe had 18 points and 16 rebounds in 31 minutes, all career highs.

Published on January 27, 2018 at 8:32 pm

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21