Orange Madness slated for Oct. 18

The official start of the 2013-2014 college basketball season is almost here.

This year's Orange Madness is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 18 in the Carrier Dome, according to the Syracuse University Athletic department. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the event scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ESPNU plans to televise portions of the event as part of the station's four-hour Midnight Madness coverage of college basketball.  Admission is free for all SU and ESF students, while general admission tickets will be sold for $5 on Oct. 7. 

This year's event will feature scrimmages from both teams, a dunk contenst, entertainment from a to-be-announced artist and a juggling act from Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy. All fans in attendance will receive a free Orange glow stick and are encouraged to dress in all orange.

Both the men's a women's teams are coming off impressive seasons. Jim Boeheim and company finished the reason 30-10 and went to Final Four, while Quentin Hillsman's squad finished 24-8 and made it the NCAA tournament.