Freeman comes off bench as Orange snap four-game slide

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse men’s basketball played its 11th game without star forward Donnie Freeman in its starting lineup. But this time it wasn’t due to injury – it was by choice.

In the midst of a four-game losing streak, head coach Adrian Autry decided to bring Freeman off the bench and start Sadiq White Jr. It was Freeman’s second time playing the role of reserve this season, with the first coming in his return from injury.

The gamble paid off, as the Orange defeated Notre Dame, 86-72.

Autry emphasized that his choice was based on matchups and strategy. He also said Freeman understood the decision.

“Me and him had talked and he was ready to go,” Autry said. “He’s trying to win. He had a great attitude.”

After the game, it appeared as if Autry’s assessment was correct. Freeman dapped up White in the tunnel before the two shared a laugh.

Autry said he was not sure if Freeman, who finished with seven points and six rebounds in 22 minutes, would be in the starting lineup Monday against North Carolina.

With Freeman playing the role of spectator for the game’s first eight minutes, JJ Starling shined as Syracuse’s de-facto scorer. The former Fighting Irish guard is known for his ability to score near the basket, but he turned into a marksman in the first half. He scored 17 points while making all seven of his shots in the first 20 minutes – including a trio of three-pointers.

In the second half, Notre Dame made a point to deny Starling opportunities. He gladly deferred, making way for the crowning moment of Nate Kingz’s Syracuse career so far.

The senior transfer scored 22 points in the second half, draining nine of 12 shots. Kingz, normally a long-range specialist, submitted a barrage of dunks down the stretch to close the game for the Orange.

“I like getting dunks, and screaming and getting hype,” Kingz said. “I don’t think I’ve ever had three dunks in one game… that was pretty fun.”

Kingz finished the game with a season-best 28 points. It was the culmination of his perseverance through early season struggles, and the ability to accept his imperfections.

“Sometimes when you’re one-for-three, (you feel like), the next one you’ve gotta make it,” he said. “If I miss a few, I kind of get in a shell. I just kind of broke out of it and said ‘you’re going to make mistakes.’”

Before Kingz’s second-half outburst, legendary former Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim took the court with the family of Lawrence Moten. During a halftime ceremony, the group honored Moten, who passed away in 2025.

“I know right now he’s up there rooting for Syracuse to win a game,” Boeheim said.

If Moten was watching, he almost certainly wore a smile as the final whistle blew.