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Syracuse ‘behind’ in preparation for season opener against North Carolina

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Dino Babers said on Monday that his players are at varying levels of readiness for the 2020 season in terms of conditioning, focus and preparation.

The Orange’s season opener at North Carolina — who switched to online-only instruction and closed its campus — is in 19 days, and Babers said the Orange are “behind” on their hitting practice due to the unusual offseason amid the coronavirus pandemic. Even though the NCAA said that this year would not count toward eligibility for fall athletes, it’s not clear whether that was the tipping point allowing many players to opt-out.