Syracuse basketball center Naheem McLeod will miss the rest of the season

Pittsburgh -- Naheem McLeod is out for the season following foot surgery.

Syracuse basketball coach Adrian Autry made the announcement Tuesday night after the Orange disposed of Pittsburgh, 69-58 in the Petersen Events Center.

McLeod, he said, had foot surgery, which went well.

The 7-foot-4 center did not play in Syracuse’s Jan. 10 home game against Boston College. He was in the JMA Wireless Dome and was moving about with the help of a scooter. He wore a protective boot on his right foot.

At that point, Autry said McLeod would see a specialist for his ailing foot. The injury was not the result of any one play but was an accumulation of a season of steadily increasing discomfort.

Without McLeod, the Orange has been starting Maliq Brown in the middle. On Tuesday against Pittsburgh, Peter Carey was the first big man off the bench, though his time was limited to seven minutes because of foul trouble. Benny Williams also played some center.

Autry said he and his staff have been experimenting with different lineups in anticipation of McLeod’s unavailability.

McLeod, the transfer from Florida State, started and played in 14 games for SU. At one point, he was among the ACC leaders in blocked shots.

“Prayers go to him,” JJ Starling said. “That’s obviously my teammate, but that’s my friend as well. That’s a big piece, but at the end of the day, I have faith in our guys, Maliq steps up big for us, Peter came in and gave us really good minutes, Mou (Mounir Hima) comes in. Benny plays the center. We have a really good group.”

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