SYRACUSE — During this election season, there’s one thing on everyone’s mind — change.

Apparently, the same goes for the Syracuse basketball season.

The Orange have depth.

They have experience.

They’re playing more man-to-man.

They’re missing their free throws — okay, some things haven’t changed.

The Syracuse men’s basketball team returned four starters from last year and yet, looked like an entirely different team during Monday night’s 77-56 exhibition game win against Cal State Los Angeles.

The major change being the addition of Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins to the SU rotation. Both suffered torn ACLs that kept them off the floor last season.

While Devendorf still looks a step slow, Rautins moved a bit too well — he was over anxious at times and fouled out.

But the presence of Devendorf and Rautins had its own impact on the game.

“Eric and Andy really open up the floor,#” said sophomore point guard Jonny Flynn. “When they’re out there you can’t double down low. I love playing with those two guys on the wing — the lanes open up for me.”

Devendorf, who is wearing a knee brace, made just two of seven shots, but made up for his lack of points with a team-high seven assists.

“Eric is still wearing the brace and obviously isn’t who he was last year,” Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said. “It’s an 11-month injury and he’s still a few months away. He’s just not back where he was.”

But with Devendorf slowed, a newcomer entered the spotlight.

Mookie Jones opened things up for Flynn and company — the lanky freshman with a quick release connected on two 3-pointers and didn’t hesitate to launch from the perimeter.

“That’s probably my specialty — hitting big shots,” he said.

He finished with eight points in 15 minutes, looking and sounding more confident than most rookies.

“Mookie — he’s a scorer,” Boeheim said. “He got in good position a few times and knocked down a few shots. That’s what he can do for us.”

While Flynn didn’t disappoint (13 points, six assists, zero turnovers), Paul Harris proved he has the right amount of experience to be his hometown pal’s running mate.

The junior scored 12 points, hauled in six boards and attempted a team-high eight free throws.

And you want to talk about change, the streaky-shooting Harris even connected on two 3s.

“I make them at practice,” he said with a grin. “It’s cool when they go in, but when I miss, Coach just sort of looks at me.”

But there’s one thing Harris and Boehim agree on — this team can and will play more man-to-man defense than usual.

“Coach has been saying that since the summer,” Harris said. “I didn’t know if he was kidding or not #— I’m excited about it.”

Syracuse played just five possessions of zone defense in the first half, so while it won’t be nonexistent, expect much more man-to-man this year.

And it’s the right move. The 2-3 zone is a staple at Syracuse, but with athletes like Harris, Flynn and Arinze Onuaku, you are almost forced to play man-to-man.

Harris is a good man-up defender but that ability is mostly wasted in a zone.

Some people are going to be shocked when they tune in to a Syracuse game on ESPN this season and see the Orange playing man, but it’s the right move. Sometimes you have to adapt to your players, and Boeheim appears willing to do that.

And while many things have changed for the better, one thing has remained the same and Syracuse will be better because of it. Onuaku, who appears to get more chiseled with each season, looks like a man who will dominate his fair share of games.

The Orange big man had 13 points and eight rebounds and will benefit greatly from an improved Rick Jackson coming off the bench.

While change is nice, stability in the post is crucial, and that’s what Syracuse has.

Sure, it’s only an exhibition game. But this looks like an Orange team that has more options than usual. They won’t live and die by the 3, and they won’t live and die by the zone.

Instead, they should be more balanced and have more stamina at the end of games.

And it doesn’t hurt when you have one of the best point guards in the country running your team.

With polls opening today, it may be too late to get Flynn on the ticket. But I guarantee you he won some votes Monday night.

“I think it’s a good start,” Flynn said.

“We matched their intensity, the newcomers came in and I think we jelled as a team. We’ve got to shake some cobwebs out but I can see the confidence building. We’ve got the makings of a great team. ”

Spoken like a true politician.