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Syracuse’s season-to-forget comes to an end as the Orange fall to SMU in the first round of the ACC Tournament

Nate Kingz layup — Syracuse falls to SMU 86-69 in the first round of ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament. Photo Credits: Syracuse Athletics

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a game where Syracuse trailed by just one point at halftime, the SMU offense was too much to handle for the Orange in the second half as No.14-seeded Syracuse fell to No.11-seeded SMU 86-69 in the first round of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament. The loss effectively ends Syracuse’s 2025-26 season in Charlotte, with a 15-17 record.

The loss also means Syracuse will finish with a losing record in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 55 years. Prior to this, the program had consecutive losing seasons was in 1967-68 and 1968-69.

A big story in today’s defeat was Syracuse’s inability to rebound. SMU outrebounded the Orange 44-31 and grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, leading to 26 second-chance points.

Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry, after what may have been his final game as the head coach of the Syracuse men’s basketball program, opened his postgame press conference with his thoughts on the rebound differential.

“I thought today’s game really came down to, for us, the ability to rebound, second-chance points,” said Autry. “And offensively, our guards and our perimeter, we didn’t make enough shots and we didn’t play well enough. We just couldn’t make a ton of shots besides Tyler (Betsey) and Nate (Kingz).”

Kingz led the way for Syracuse with 25 points on 11-for-18 shooting from the field, and Betsey added 15 points on five made three-pointers. The rest of the Orange, however, were essentially nonexistent on offense. Syracuse’s leading scorer Donnie Freeman who averaged 17.0 points per game, finished with just seven points on 3-for-9 shooting, and third-leading scorer, J.J. Starling finished with just two points.

Freeman was asked why he believed the season unraveled toward the end of the year, with the Orange losing 12 of their last 15 games—beginning with a loss on the road against Boston College, the second-worst team in the conference—concluding the season on a six-game losing streak.

Donnie Freeman in locker room — Syracuse forward Donnie Freeman in the locker room post-game. Photo credits: Hunter Caparelli

“That’s tough, I can’t really pinpoint where it started honestly,” said Freeman. “It happened slowly but it started to snowball and the losses started to pile up. But even after the season’s over, I still feel that we were so much better than how our record may look.”

Kingz was one of few bright spots for the Orange, was no surprise given how much he had come on the scene during the conference play with his ability to score and knock down shots from beyond the arc. With his collegiate future in question due to the eligibility petition process, Kingz was asked about what may have been final game as a college athlete.

“I just went in with a win-or-go-home mentality,” said Kingz. “I was just trying to leave it all out there on the court and go as hard as I could. Might have been my last game, I don’t know what the future holds for me, so I just wanted to leave it all out there and do whatever I could.”

Betsey was the other bright spot, coming off the bench and finishing with 15 points and seven rebounds, which was especially crucial for a Syracuse team missing one of their vital bench pieces in Kiyan Anthony due to an undisclosed lower-body injury. Betsey was asked why the season may not have gone the way they had hoped for with high expectations going into the year.

“I would just say inconsistencies with each other,” said Betsey. “Whether it was practice or people working hard or not, it just showed against good teams. I feel like all of us in the locker room, we know what players had in there and what coaches we had. I feel like we could have done something special this year, but it just didn’t go that way.”

Syracuse post-game press conference — Syracuse men’s basketball coach Adrian Autry, senior guard Nate Kingz, and sophomore forward Tyler Betsey at the post-game press conference. Photo credits: Hunter Caparelli

There will be a lot of questions about coach Autry’s future after the loss, who is 49-48 in three seasons as Syracuse’s head basketball coach. Autry was asked if he had thoughts about his future as he walked off the court and through the tunnel after the defeat.

“Obviously now with the game over with, you think about those things,” said Autry. “This was a group we put together with the hopes of being able to work through those inconsistencies, and try to be able to develop ‘on the job’ so-to-speak. We knew there was going to be a learning curve, and we thought we had a group that could push through that, but that didn’t happen.”

One of the team’s leaders this season, and starting guard Naithan George, who finished with a 2-for-13 shooting performance, was asked about coach Autry’s future and why he may have a perspective being around Autry every day behind closed doors that outside fans may not have.

“Just his care and his passion,” said George. “He always just wants the best for you and he always has a smile on his face. He’s also always willing to work though the highs or the lows. He just cares so much, and sometimes it just comes down to players making shots, and today I didn’t make shots. Maybe if I made a couple it would have been different.”

Coach Autry also had an interesting take on the ever-changing NIL landscape being a potential factor in underperforming this year. Syracuse is in the third tier ranking for ACC men’s basketball NIL budgets, which estimates their roster to be valued somewhere between $2 million to $4 million, compared to a program like North Carolina or Duke in the first tier ranking for budgets ranging between $10 million to more than $14 million.

“It’s not an excuse, but it’s just the reality,” said Autry. “I own up to everything, but to be able to operate and to be able to do things, the NIL is a real thing. The transfer portal is a real thing, those are the variables that can shape a season. Those are always going to be challenging, and if you fall a little short of those things, it makes it that much more difficult to win”

Autry said at the end of his press conference that he will be meeting with Syracuse officials for their end-of-season meetings. The next time the Orange are back in action next November, it will likely be an entirely new team looking to get Syracuse back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021, the program’s longest streak of not making the Big Dance in over 50 years.

Syracuse Basketball senior night spoiled by Pittsburgh Panthers in overtime loss.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. –– March 7th marked the beginning of spring break for Syracuse University students, which is usually an opportunity to go home, reset, and return fresh and better than ever to tackle the remainder of the semester. The Syracuse basketball team had the same opportunity – a get-right game at home against the Pittsburgh Panthers to eliminate them from conference tournament contention and right the ship after four consecutive losses before the ACC tournament.

This game was anything but rejuvenating, with 14 ties and seven lead changes, most of which occurred in the final six minutes of regulation and beyond, extending into overtime. Even with many of the Dome seats left unfilled, those in attendance were treated to a back-and-forth affair that came down to one shot. Syracuse dropped its fifth consecutive game in a 71-69 overtime loss and finish 6-11 in the ACC and under .500 overall at 15-16.

The Orange faithful stood to their feet as time wound down in overtime. | ©Matt Sheremeta 2026

Prior to tip-off, Syracuse celebrated the team’s four seniors: J.J. Starling, Nate Kingz, William Kyle III, and Bryce Zephir. It seemed this game was going to be all about them, as Starling lobbed an alley-oop to Kyle on the first possession of the game. Kyle then had two more dunks for six of Syracuse’s first nine points. The other three came from a Kingz three-pointer. This was the only make from Syracuse’s first seven attempts from deep.

Kingz even alluded to reuniting with Syracuse next season after averaging 12.2 points per game in an Orange uniform this year.

“I’d definitely stay here as long as people want me here still, I would definitely see that as an option for sure,” Kingz said, who is in the process of gaining another year of eligibility from the NCAA. “I just have to see what they say and go from there.”

Redshirt senior Nate Kingz brings clarity into his future as a college basketball player. | ©Matt Sheremeta 2026

The seniors were silenced for the majority of the contest, Starling, the Baldwinsville native, who finished 0-for-7 from the floor and scored no points on senior day. He has struggled to get anything going for the last couple of nights, with just four points scored in the last three games.

“The last couple of games, it’s been hard for him to get going. Obviously, teams are defending him a certain way,” Autry added about Starling’s recent struggles. “We tried giving him some looks early, but as the games go on, teams are doing a pretty good job defending him.”

The Orange as a collective had a slow start to either half, starting 4-13 from the floor in the first and 0-5 in the second. Pitt was able to capitalize the second time around, leading by as much as 12 points nearly 30 minutes into the game.

Syracuse was able to will their way back into the game after a Tyler Betsey triple tied it at 52 with six minutes left in regulation. From there, the Orange regained the lead with three to play but could never quite escape the Panthers’ grasp.

The man leading the comeback was Naithan George, who played his best game in a Syracuse uniform, scoring a season-high 26 points – just two points shy of his career best set while at Georgia Tech. He opened overtime with a midrange jumper to notch his 26th, but then committed a crucial turnover midway through the extra frame, leading to a Pitt jumper.

Pitt called a timeout with 10 seconds remaining for one final shot attempt. Kyle committed a goaltending violation on Pitt’s Nojus Indrusaitis, giving the Panthers the lead with four seconds remaining.

“I thought the difference was our late-game execution,” Autry said. “We turned it over twice in overtime, and we had been taking care of the basketball pretty well for the most part.”

There was some speculation that this would be Coach Red’s last home game, as he reflected on his last three seasons with the team and whether he met the “Orange Standard.”

“I can only worry about today,” Autry said. He added, about the different dynamic in college athletics due to NIL and the transfer portal since taking the reigns three seasons ago, “When we had ‘the standard’, we were able to retain and develop and have guys. And every coach is going through that. So getting back to ‘the standard’ is going to be a little bit more challenging than we all thought it would be.”

Syracuse basketball coach at podium speaking into microphone — Coach Adrian Autry addressed rumors and speculation of his future tenure with Syracuse in his post-game press conference | ©Matt Sheremeta 2026

Donnie Freeman was asked if there was any extra desire to win for Autry today, since it may be his final home game, to which he replied with “next question.” But there was an extra desire to pull one out for the senior leaders on the day they were celebrated.

“I’m just feeling for the seniors, man, like I wanted to win it for them. Like J.J., he’s been here since I got here,” Freeman said. “That’s really all I wanted, honestly, nothing else other than that. If I had zero across the board tonight and we would’ve won for the seniors, I would have been content with that.”

Syracuse will finish the season in the ACC Tournament, where they will face SMU on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. One final chance to potentially earn their spot in the NCAA Tournament – but it will take a playoff win.

“I think we’ve made progress as far as being able to be in games,” Autry said. “That gives me the hope that we can string it together on a neutral site with our guys very motivated to get some things done.”

Syracuse struggles continue in 77-62 loss to Louisville, dropping fourth straight

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Syracuse fell 77-62 at Louisville on Tuesday night, extending a season slide that now includes four straight losses and seven consecutive road defeats.

The Orange didn’t start this one flat. Syracuse opened the night playing together, pushing the pace early, attacking downhill and crashing the glass behind J.J. Starling and William Kyle III. For a moment, it looked different. Louisville struggled to settle in, even turning the ball over twice in the opening minutes as Syracuse controlled tempo.

But that rhythm didn’t last. Once the Cardinals found their shooting, the game flipped quickly in a way that has become too familiar this season. Louisville sped the game up, got back defensively and turned missed Syracuse opportunities into runs. Without consistent scoring, Syracuse fell into iso-ball, forcing isolation possessions instead of moving the ball and creating rhythm. That’s been the Orange’s biggest struggle all season, and it showed again in a game that could have stayed competitive.

Even without Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville never struggled generating offense. Ryan Conwell led the way, scoring 23 points with five three-pointers, repeatedly finding space as Syracuse struggled to fight through screens. Isaac McKneely added 16 points, contributing five three-pointers of his own, while J’Vonne Hadley contributed 19 points and seven rebounds, including a transition dunk that energized both the bench and the packed home crowd.

By halftime, Syracuse trailed 39-21 after shooting 0% from three. Head coach Adrian Autry said that deficit ultimately decided the game.

“We had a lot of shots… layups and good looks… that we didn’t make,” Autry said postgame. “That first-half deficit was the difference.”

Defensively, Syracuse struggled again with communication and assignments, allowing Louisville to build confidence throughout the night.

“We’re dealing with things we can control that we’re just not doing,” Autry said. “We’ve got to get over screens. We have to communicate better.”

For Syracuse, Naithan George was one of the few steady performers, finishing with 16 points and three assists, often carrying the offense while the Orange tried to regain rhythm. At stretches, George handled extended minutes almost alone as Syracuse tried to stabilize.

Syracuse showed life late. A 9-0 run fueled by second-chance efforts and back-to-back dunks briefly cut the deficit to single digits, creating a small window back into the game. But every push was met with an immediate Louisville response, often from open perimeter looks that continued to haunt Syracuse throughout the night.

The Orange outscored Louisville in the second half, but the damage from the first 20 minutes was too much to overcome. Autry credited the team’s fight but acknowledged execution remains the difference.

“I thought they fought,” he said. “But when you’re down like that on the road, it’s tough to come back.”

This game told a story that’s been playing out all season: slow offensive starts, defensive lapses and a team too reliant on isolation plays that kill momentum. Even so, the Orange aren’t entirely out of goals. Syracuse sits at .500 on the overall season, giving them a small target to work toward — finishing above .500 in the regular season. It’s not a solution to the season-long struggles, but it’s at least a tangible benchmark as the team heads into the last game before the ACC Tournament.

With Pittsburgh next, will Syracuse try to show they can still compete?

Boozier Daddy: Orange suffer worst conference loss since joining ACC

NCAA Basketball: Syracuse at Duke — Feb 16, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) reacts after scoring against the Syracuse Orange during the during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

DURHAM, N.C. — The stars were out at Cameron Indoor Stadium for Big Monday between Syracuse and Duke, as Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel were all in the building to take in the action.

But the game they watched was anything but competitive, as the Blue Devils shot 72% from the field in the second half, scoring 61 points and handing the Orange their worst conference loss since joining the ACC and their 11th straight loss to Duke overall in a 101-64 drubbing.

And it was not just the staggering offense numbers that stood out, it was the overall team defense played by Duke that caught the eye of their head coach as well.

“[Defense] is what our identity is. This is as good as a defense as we have had here,” said Duke head coach Jon Scheyer after the game.

The defense surrendered just 24 points to Syracuse in the first half and was led by freshman guard Dane Sarr, whose impact may not be easy to see by looking at the box score, but gave Syracuse fits all evening.

And while Sarr led the defense, his teammate Cameron Boozer anchored it and the Blue Devils as a whole. Boozer recorded a double-double before the end of the first half and finished the game with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while only missing two shots.

“I don’t think there are too many players in college that can hold him off when he gets to the spots that he wants to,” said Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry.

The player that was tasked with guarding Boozer was forward William Kyle III, and although he led Syracuse with 12 points and added two blocks, he was not afraid to admit the difficulty of the assignment.

“I don’t think I’ve played a player as talented as that as far as getting to his spots and finding his angles,” said Kyle after the game.

Whether it was Duke scoring their first five field goals off offensive rebounds, closing the first half on an 11-0 run in under three minutes, or making fourteen consecutive field goals in the second half, every bounce seemed to fall Duke’s way, and highlighted the difference between the two programs.

And if that wasn’t enough, playing in front of the 9,314 “Cameron Crazies” only made things harder.

“It’s real loud, and I feel like that affected us as far as being organized with our plays and what we were doing,” Kyle said.

The road for Syracuse ahead does not get any easier as well, as the No. 16 North Carolina Tar Heels head to the Dome on Saturday, with tipoff at 1 PM.

Kingz breaks hearts of SMU fans in final seconds on Valentines Day

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — With 2.3 seconds left, Nate Kingz worked SMU’s Boopie Miller to the block and banked in the go-ahead bucket to give Syracuse the 79-78 win. It marks the first pair of back-to-back wins for the Orange in just over a month.

Feb 14, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Nate Kingz (4) drives the ball with Southern Methodist University Mustangs guard B.J. Edwards (0) defending in the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Photo Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

“The fight that these guys have shown in the last two games, I’m just so proud of them,” head coach Adrian Autry said. “We felt like this was an NCAA Tournament opportunity for us. SMU is a damn good team, and we had a chance to play them on our home court. We didn’t want to lose that opportunity.”

The Kingz-Miller matchup was one that Autry had joked with Kingz about in the week leading up to the game.

“We figured that they would be switching everything,” Autry said. “I was just joking and messing with him, but I said, ‘hey, if we get a switch on you, you think you can take Boopie to the basket?’”

“Coach, anybody that’s in front of me, and I ain’t worried about who it is, I’m going down there and I’m going to score.” Kingz responded.

Syracuse held Miller, the ACC’s sixth best scorer averaging 19.2 points per game, scoreless in the first half. Jaden Toombs and Samet Yiğitoğlu picked up his slack, combining for 18 points on 9-12 shooting by the midway point.

In the second half, Yiğitoğlu picked up his fourth foul with 11:06 left, forcing him to sit for the next six minutes. The Orange battled back from down 61-54 to lead 72-71 while he was on the bench.

“To get him out of the game was huge, because he was causing a lot of issues down there for us,” Autry said. “We knew we were going to give up some stuff to him just because of his ability to play in his size. We just wanted to keep a body on him and just fight to get him out.”

Kiyan Anthony led the second half push, scoring all of his 13 points in less than 10 minutes. Anthony played 24 minutes after seeing the floor for just 14 against California and being benched against Virginia the game prior. He said he leaned on his dad through his first real test of adversity at this level.

“I go to him about everything,” Anthony said. “He even flew up here just to work me out a couple of days and just to talk to me. He was right there by my side, and he never lost confidence in me. He’s the main guy that helped me play the way I did today.”

Feb 14, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Kiyan Anthony (7) shoots the ball with Southern Methodist University Mustangs guard Jaron Pierre Jr. (5) defending in the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Photo Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Kingz also finished with 13 points. He’s averaged 17.8 points per game across the last five and said a shift in his mindset has been the difference.

“You can’t play perfect every game, so I’m just going to go out there and play without trying to be perfect,” Kingz said. “I made that adjustment right before the Boston College game. I was like, I’m just going to play freely. I’m not going to think. I’m just going to go out there and be aggressive. Ever since then I’ve just been trying to attack every game with that mindset.”

Donnie Freeman led the team with 18 points and a career high four blocks. He’s now been the top scorer in 11 games this season.

Feb 14, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Donnie Freeman (1) drives the baseline with Southern Methodist University Mustangs center Samet Yigitoglu (24) defending in the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Photo Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Orange has another quick turnaround against their toughest opponent of the year. They’ll play No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor on Monday night at 7pm.

“I think we showed that we can compete with those high-level teams,” Kiyan Anthony said. “We’ve had a bit of an inconsistent season, but I don’t feel like we’re done. We had a couple big games that we won. We had a couple big games that we could’ve won. We go to practice every day positive, and we come out here every day thinking we can win every game.”

Kyle III’s grit and Kingz’s 27 points power Syracuse past Cal in 2OT marathon

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — In a wild affair featuring 28 lead changes, 14 ties and two power outages, Syracuse outlasted California 107-100 in double overtime Wednesday night at the JMA Wireless Dome.

J.J. Starling jumping — J.J. Starling finishes a contested layup. Photo Credits: Leah Masi

“I was really proud of the way these guys just kept going,” SU head coach Adrian Autry said, “because we could’ve folded and they didn’t.”

Autry particularly praised senior William Kyle III’s effort.

“I thought Will Kyle was a man amongst boys today,” Autry said. “He gave us 16 rebounds, 15 points and he had that will that we were not going to lose that game.”

William Kyle III on the floor — Wiliam Kyle III grimaces in pain as his legs begin to cramp up in the second overtime. Photo Credits: Leah Masi

Kyle logged a season-high 40 minutes to go with his fourth double-double of the season. However, the workload took its toll, as leg cramps forced the forward to leave the game with 31.6 seconds left in the second overtime.

“That was actually the first time I’ve ever cramped up in a game,” Kyle III said. “I was running, and both my calves just started getting really tight.”

Nate Kingz shooting a free throw — Nate Kingz sinks a free throw for one of his game-high 27 points. Photo Credits: Leah Masi

Autry also commended Nate Kingz on a standout performance. The redshirt senior dropped a game-high 27 points, eclipsing the 20-point mark for the second time in the last four games.

The Orange snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory and improve to 14-11 (5-7 ACC). Next up for Syracuse is another home game against SMU on Saturday. Tip-off is at 2 p.m. inside the JMA Wireless Dome.

Virginia lets it fly handing Syracuse it’s sixth loss in last seven games

Feb 7, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Thijs de Ridder (28) shoots the ball while Syracuse Orange guard Bryce Zephir (55) and forward William Kyle III (42) defend during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Photo Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

CHARLOTTESVILLE, V.A. — The 18th ranked Virginia Cavaliers came into Saturday’s matchup against Syracuse as the third best offensive rebounding team in the country, and they secured 17 more on route to a 72-59 victory against the Orange.

The Cavaliers took 30 threes in the game, and while they only made ten of them, the offensive rebounds the Cavaliers grabbed on their misses generated second chance opportunities that helped them improve to 20-3 on the season.

“They know and understand how impactful [offensive rebounding] can be for our overall game and offense in particular,” said Virginia head coach Ryan Odom after the game.

On the other side, the Orange were led by 19 points from point guard Nait George, who finished eight of nine shooting on the day, as well as 13 apiece from JJ Starling and Nate Kingz.

Feb 7, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Naithan George (11) controls the ball while Virginia Cavaliers guard Dallin Hall (30) defends during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Photo Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

But at the end of the day, the second chance points generated by UVA fueled them to victory.

“We just have to turn around and box out,” said Starling after the game.

“They just got more opportunities because of their offensive rebounds, and I think that was the key that separated them from us,” said Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry.

For Autry’s Orange early on, it was a two man show offensively. George scored eight of the team’s first twelve points but was in foul trouble early and had to go to the bench. Starling scored four points in the early going as well but needed to take a breather.

When those George and Starling were off the floor, Syracuse turned to the leading scorer from Monday to put up the most shots, but forward Donnie Freeman really struggled from the floor on Saturday.

Freeman finished the game with a mere five points and only made two of his eleven attempted shots. His frustration boiled over after one of his two made shots, as he screamed at the official pleading he was fouled and was given a technical foul. This tech fueled Virginia, and their lead quickly extended to twelve.

“I thought [Virginia’s] physicality really bothered our front court today,” said Autry.

Feb 7, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers center Ugonna Onyenso (33) dunks the ball while Syracuse Orange forward Donnie Freeman (1) defends during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Photo Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

It felt as if this might be another game where it would get ugly, but Syracuse ended the first half strong. With George and Starling back in there, Syracuse would go on a 13-2 run to tie the game at 33 right before the break and would trail by only three at halftime with the score 38-35.

Syracuse would keep it close for a good portion of the second half as well, but then another mistake from Donnie Freeman ignited the Cavaliers.

Coming out of a media timeout down 48-44, Freeman turned the ball over attempting to inbound it to George as Virginia ran the full-court press over the course of the entire game. That turnover led to a three from Sam Lewis, who led Virginia with 16 points on the day, and an eruption inside the John Paul Jones Arena.

From that point forward, Virginia would never surrender the lead. The Orange would show a bit of fight late, but would never get closer than four, and did not make a shot for almost three minutes to end the game.

“The turnovers and the defense got the game further than what it should have been, but it was those momentum plays that really killed us,” said Kingz.

Feb 7, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Nate Kingz (4) shoots the ball while Virginia Cavaliers center Johann Gruenloh (17) defends during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Photo Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

One name that was not etched into the box score, and a subplot that was generated from the game was that freshman Kiyan Anthony did not see the floor for the first time this season.

“There are no injuries he is dealing with, this was my decision,” said Autry.

Autry’s decision will raise questions moving forward, but for now, Syracuse soaks up its sixth loss in its last seven games and will return home for a two-game homestand against SMU and California this week.

Thirty-two-point deficit insurmountable despite Orange late game charge

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – FEBRUARY 02: Jonathan Powell #11 of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates after a basket during the first half against the Syracuse Orange at Dean E. Smith Center on February 02, 2026 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. © David Jensen/Getty Images

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – With just under 10 minutes remaining in the second half, North Carolina guard Johnathan Powell connected on a corner triple to give the Tar Heels a 72-40 lead over what appeared to be a defeated Syracuse squad on its way to the worst loss of the season.

“I thought [North] Carolina set the tone right from the beginning with their physicality on defense, inside in the paint and scoring,” Coach Autry said after the game.

But then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Orange went on a 37-11 run, and at one point, had made 13 of 14 field goals. With a minute left in the game, it was 83-77.

But the fight was too little, too late. The Tar Heels closed the door and walked away with an 87-77 victory, as the Orange remain winless all-time at the Smith Center.

“I thought we were more aggressive late, and we opened the floor up and allowed our guards to make the play,” said Autry of what went right in the final ten minutes.

The problems for Syracuse shined bright in the first half. UNC attacked Orange forward Donnie Freeman on nearly every offensive play. He was tasked with guarding the Heels freshman phenom forward Caleb Wilson, and it was a clear mismatch, as Wilson had 13 points by halftime.

Autry was left with a predicament because, on the other end, Freeman was the only Syracuse player who could score consistently in the first half. He made up 18 of ‘Cuse’s first 32 points.

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – FEBRUARY 02: Jonathan Powell #11 of the North Carolina Tar Heels defends Donnie Freeman #1 of the Syracuse Orange during the second half of a basketball game at Dean E. Smith Center on February 02, 2026 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (© David Jensen/Getty Images)

But the subplot unfolded when the ball wasn’t in the hands of those two, highlighting the key difference between the two teams. UNC had five players not named Wilson with at least five points or more at halftime, while Syracuse only had one not named Freeman.

The Tar Heels also had nine assists and four turnovers heading into the locker room. Syracuse, on the other hand, assisted on only two baskets and committed nine turnovers.

“We have to do a better job of moving without the ball and making quicker decisions, and we just did not do that,” said coach Autry.

Starting the second half trailing 46-32, Syracuse failed to make adjustments.

For the first ten minutes of the second half, UNC went on a 26-8 run led by freshman Luka Bogavac, who at one point scored eight straight Carolina points. Tar Heel fans were heading for the exits with every indication that this ballgame was over.

But then things changed. As they’ve done in so many different spurts this season, Syracuse started to show life, and a lot of it. When coach Autry brought forward Akir Souare into the game, Syracuse began to get stops, and then those stops led to points. In only nine minutes of action Souare finished with a plus-17.

At the same time, guard Kiyan Anthony started to make some baskets, guard Nate Kingz knocked down some big-time 3s, and there was a legitimate scare sent through the Tar Heel faithful late.

“I put a lot of stock into [what happened at the end of the game],” said UNC coach Hubert Davis after the game as he proceeded to give Syracuse credit for not giving up.

At the end of the day, there is a reason that only three teams in the history of Division I college basketball have come back from a 30-point deficit, and the Orange fell short once again to drop their fifth game of the last six.

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Syracuse Orange head coach Adrian Autry reacts in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. © Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

And the message was strong after the game.

“We just have to be more consistent in what we are trying to do,” said Coach Autry three times as he will prepare his team for another road ranked matchup on Saturday against the Virginia Cavaliers.

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.

Syracuse Forward, Donnie Freeman, against Notre Dame on Saturday, Jan. 31st, 2026 in Syracuse NY. Photo Credits: Cadence Dudley

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.”

Coach Autry on court side on Saturday, Jan. 31st, 2026 in Syracuse NY. Photo Credits: Cadence Dudley

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.

Syracuse Guard, J.J. Starling, shooting against Notre Dame on Saturday, Jan. 31st, 2026 in Syracuse NY. Photo Credits: Cadence Dudley

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.”

Syracuse Guard, Nate Kingz, shooting against Notre Dame on Saturday, Jan. 31st, 2026 in Syracuse NY. Photo Credits: Cadence Dudley

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.

Syracuse vs. Notre Dame Men’s Basketball 1/31/26 Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Graduate student Cadence Dudley ’26 photographed the Syracuse Orange game that faced Notre Dame’s Men’s Basketball team in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse Guard, Noah Lobdell, hyping up crowd after Syracuse win on Saturday, Jan. 31st 2026 in Syracuse NY

‘Canes heat up the Dome, Orange falls 85-76

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Orange fans were left standing for almost four minutes at the start of their Blizzard matchup against the visiting Miami Hurricanes. The ‘Canes brought the heat, starting off hot with a nine-point run against the Orange.

Syracuse team huddle before play against UMiami on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 in Syracuse NY © Cadence Dudley 2026

The rest of the first half left much to be desired for both fans and the team.

In the first half, the team went just 14-of-31 for field goals. Seven players scored including Sadiq White and Kiyan Anthony off the bench.

With 4:05 remaining, Anthony reminded fans why the Dome is called “The Loud House” slamming down a dunk from a steal on the other end. Fans were brought to their feet, celebrating the freshman’s first career dunk and the score-tying points that came with it. The Canes led 41-36 at the end of the first half.

Syracuse Forward, William Kyle III shooting against UMiami on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 in Syracuse NY ©Cadence Dudley 2026

Sophomore Forward Donnie Freeman had 14 points in 32 minutes in just his sixth game back since a lower-body injury forced him to miss none games.

Syracuse Forward Donnie Freeman hyped up against UMiami on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 in Syracuse NY ©Cadence Dudley 2026

The second half saw Syracuse improve their shooting, increasing their field-goal percentage by 8%, chipping away at Miami’s lead.

Despite pulling within 4 points, a missed dunk by point-guard JJ Starling shifted momentum, and Miami extended its lead back to seven. Syracuse couldn’t respond and the Hurricanes held on for the win.

Though “makes and misses are a part of the game,” head coach Adrian Autry said the team lacked a sense of urgency, specifically in transitions.

The Orange are back in the Dome next Saturday against Notre Dame.

Syracuse falls to Virgina Tech, and it all happened on the free throw line

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -The first half of this ACC match up looked hopeful for the Orange, but a lack of focus and carelessness cost them the game.

The Orange did what it does best in the first half, draining three-pointers and taking advantage of scoring opportunities. By halftime, Syracuse had nine points off turnovers and was shooting 80% from the free throw line.

But according to Orange head coach Adrian Autry, their performance in the second half just wasn’t up to par to get the win.

“We’re not doing things as a culture, staff and as players to win the games right now.  That’s just the bottom line. These last two games, we did not do enough to win games, right?” Autry said.

The Hokies took full advantage of the subpar performance by the Orange in the second-half, holding Syracuse to only 41% shooting and scoring 46 points of its own.

Halfway through the second half, the Orange already had eight fouls and finished with 12 fouls in the final five minutes, allowing Virginia Tech to score 25 points from the free throw line.

One of the most costly plays of the night happened right from their free throw line as the Orange got within striking distance to the Hokies in the last few minutes, but an offensive rebound led to another missed scoring opportunity.

Cleaning up the game in that back half and focusing on the details that let this game slip through the Orange’s fingers was coach Autry’s main message after the match.

The players felt the same sentiment.

“All our games come to final possessions. So just going back to the drawing board, learning from our mistakes, and then just trying to perfect them,” said Sadiq White.

Syracuse vs. UMiami Men’s Basketball 1/24/26 Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Graduate student Cadence Dudley ’26 photographed the Syracuse Orange game that faced UMiami’s Men’s Basketball team in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse Forward William Kyle III starting the game against UMiami on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 in Syracuse NY

Sloppy play throughout shines late and costs Syracuse in must-win game against Boston College

CHESTNUT HILL, M.A. — On Saturday afternoon, Syracuse fans dominated the Conte Forum, but the team itself did not. Miscues cost the Orange throughout the entire game, and stood out in the final minutes, as Syracuse drops a season-altering game, losing 81-73 in overtime to a Boston College Eagles team that was winless in conference play to date.

“You can’t win and beat anybody with 18 turnovers, and I thought that was the difference,” said coach Adrian Autry following the loss.

But early on, the Orange played clean.

Right out of the gate, senior forward William Kyle III scored two early buckets, and after a Donnie Freeman and-1 layup with 12:42 to go, Syracuse had quickly surged to a 15-6 lead. At that moment with the energy from the Orange fans and the deflated look of the BC offense, it appeared like it might be another game in which the Eagles rolled over against an ACC opponent.

William Kyle and the Orange huddle up after committing a foul. © Jacob Beadles 2026

However, in the middle of the first half, neither team could put the ball in the basket, and it turned into a foul-fest for both squads. The Eagles were not shooting it well, but were getting to the line, and Boston College slowly trimmed into the deficit and eventually surpassed the Orange 24-23 on an alley-oop dunk from senior forward Aidan Shaw with just under four minutes to play.

But that one-point lead was the only one the Eagles would get in the first 20 minutes, as the Orange would end the half strong, capped off by a buzzer-beating layup from Freeman to give Syracuse a 33-28 lead at the break.

In the second half, the game of back-and-forth runs continued. Redshirt senior guard Nate Kingz drilled a three with 16 minutes to go, and once again it looked like this would be where Syracuse generated some real separation.

Redshirt senior guard Nate Kingz scored a career high 27 points against the Eagles. © Jacob Beadles 2026

But the Eagles responded right back, a 12-2 run headlined by two threes from guard Fred Payne, who scored a career-high 26 points, and all of a sudden you blinked and Boston College was up 47-44.

However, Kingz was unfazed. Two more makes from behind the arc helped Syracuse jump back in front, as the see-saw game continued.

All square at 55 with just under five to play, it was more Kingz. He converts on an and-1 and Syracuse would finally take a lead that they would hold until the final seconds of regulation.

BC had stayed in the game and kept it close enough. And then the floodgates opened. Sloppy turnovers from guard Naithan George in the final minute, who finished with seven turnovers, and a front-end miss on a 1-and-1 free throw by Freeman, who also had seven turnovers, allowed Eagles guard Donald Hand Jr. to drill the game-tying three with seven seconds left, forcing overtime.

“I am trying my hardest not to turn the ball over, but when you put it in your head, it actually starts to become a thing, so I need to start playing with my mind free,” said George after the game.

In overtime, it was all Boston College. The Eagles would never trail again and would make nine out of their 10 attempted free throws in the overtime period. Syracuse looked flat and defeated, and the results showed.

The Orange react after a foul is called on William Kyle III. © Jacob Beadles 2026

“In the Hofstra game, we overlooked our opponent. But today, we saw Boston College like they were any other team, but the outcome was not what we wanted,” said Kingz, who finished with a career-high 27 points.

But for coach Autry, this is just another roadblock in a season that still has a lot of games left.

“Talent isn’t enough, and sometimes you don’t learn when you are winning, but we have to wake up defensively, and I’m confident that if we do that, we will be fine,” said Autry.

Syracuse defeats Florida State 94-86, sharpshooting leads to third straight ACC win

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse defeated Florida State 94-86 after a strong shooting night at the JMA Wireless Dome on Tuesday.

Syracuse shot 59.7 percent from the field, and sophomore forward Donnie Freeman scored 25 points – his fifth 20-point performance of the season.

Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry could not be more pleased in Freeman.

“Donnie is just efficient. The one thing about him is he does a good job of getting to his spots, or he can get to the foul line,” Autry said. “When you have someone like that, a lot of times, it’s trying to get him the ball and trying to get him some space a little bit.”

Syracuse forward Donnie Freeman flexes and the crowd applaud him after hitting a clutch and-1 shot. ©Mikey Lamarre

The Orange shot 40.7 percent from three-point range. Tyler Betsey was the flamethrower that led the charge from downtown, making 6-of-8 3-point attempts. The sophomore forward’s six 3s were a career-high.

“My first two 3s – the second one especially, felt really good off my fingers,” Betsey said. “Once I hit that second, it was kind of just like I knew I was going to have a good game after that.”

Syracuse forward Tyler Betsy drains a three at the top of the key as two defenders close out on him. © Mikey Lamarre

However, Autry was not pleased with his team’s defense.

“The inconsistencies on defense was an issue,” Autry said. “Even though our offense has improved, we can’t let the defense slip.”

Florida State guard Martin Somerville scores on an uncontested three. © Mikey Lamarre

Nonetheless, the Orange have won three straight games in conference play, and their 12-5 record is the best start of the Adrian Autry era.

Syracuse (12-5, 3-1) will play at Boston College (7-10, 0-4) on Saturday. The game will air at 2pm on ACC Network.

Syracuse jumps Pitt early, closes strong in 83–72 win

PITTSBURGH — Syracuse paired an efficient shooting start with late defensive stops to earn an 83–72 road win over Pittsburgh Wednesday night at the Petersen Events Center.

The Orange controlled the first half by pushing tempo off mistakes and converting them into points. Syracuse finished with 22 points off turnovers and carried an 11-point lead into halftime, fueled by strong perimeter shooting and early aggression from its guards.

Pitt head coach Jeff Capel said the opening stretch put the Panthers behind the eight ball.

“I’m disappointed with our attention to detail defensively to start the game,” Capel said. “You can’t dig a hole like we did … and expect to beat a good team.”

Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry credited the shot-making early and stops late.

“They really shot the basketball well, especially in the first half,” Capel said, noting Syracuse made eight threes in the first 20 minutes. Autry said when Syracuse shoots it well, “and we lock in defensively… we’ll give ourselves a chance pretty much every game.”

Donnie Freeman led all scorers with 22 points, while JJ Starling added 19 and helped set the tone on both ends. Autry called Starling “tremendous,” adding that he “set the tone right from the beginning.”

Pitt made a second-half push behind Brandin Cummings, who scored 29 points off the bench and cut the deficit to seven late. But Syracuse responded at the free-throw line, going 13-for-15 (83%) to close the game.

Autry said Syracuse’s key late was simple: “When we have those dips… we got to lock back in on defense.”

Syracuse close out 2025 with 64-61 loss to Clemson in ACC Opener

Donnie Freeman with a fighting face. Wed, Dec. 31, 2025, © Caprice Hibbler, 2025

Syracuse, N.Y. – It was a nail-biter on New Year’s Eve between the Syracuse Orange and the Clemson Tigers.

Entering the contest, the Orange had a 9-4 overall recording after finishing their non-conference portion of their schedule.

In the first half, the Orange struggled to slow down the Tigers’ offense. Clemson had a 12-3 run in the early minutes and continue to keep their foot on the gas pedal.

Syracuse was able to supply some offense to match up against the tough Clemson defense with 8 points from sophomore Tyler Betsey and 10 points from junior Naithan George.

Tyler Betsey with a free throw. Wed, Dec. 31st, 2025, © Caprice Hibbler, 2025

The ‘Cuse had a major boost with sophomore Donnie Freeman returning to action after missing the last 13 games with a foot injury.

Freeman was the leading scorer off the bench for the Orange with 18 points and 9 rebounds. All of his points were scored in the 2nd half.

Freeman mentioned how if felt being back on the court with his teammates and help contribute on both sides of the ball.

“I’m just confident in myself,” Freeman said. “Just to get my rhythm and trying to see the ball through the net. Just trying to be the best version of myself.”

Anthony dodging Clemson’s blocks. Wed. Dec. 31st, 2025, © Caprice Hibbler

Head Coach Adrian Autry explains how Freeman will mesh well with his teammates over time.

“He’s going to continue to get better,” Autry said. “Sometimes when you have those insertions, it kind of disrupts things a little bit but that’s natural. He definitely surpassed what I expected of him.”

The Orange head into 2026 with a 9-5 record and matches up with Georgia Tech on Tuesday, January 6th.

Tipoff is at 7pm.

George, Starling lead Syracuse past Stonehill 77 – 48

Syracuse, NY – The Orange tops Stonehill 77–48 in nonconference finale

JJ Starling going up for fastbreak dunk. PHOTO CREDITS: BRIAN PIENDEL

In its final non-conference tune-up before ACC play, Syracuse took care of business at home, defeating Stonehill College 77–48. The Orange wasted no time asserting control, opening the game on a 12–2 run behind a hot shooting start from Naithan George and JJ Starling.

The backcourt duo powered Syracuse throughout the first half, accounting for 27 of the team’s 39 points. George led the way with 14 points, while Starling added 13, as the Orange dictated the pace and entered halftime with a 12-point advantage over the Skyhawks.

Syracuse’s offensive efficiency was a promising sign heading into conference play. The Orange shot 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from three-point range, a sharp turnaround after shooting just 25 percent from beyond the arc in their previous outing against Northeastern. That improvement, paired with strong defensive energy, gives Syracuse confidence as the competition level rises in ACC play.

Kyian Anthony getting ready to defend an inbounds play. PHOTO CREDITS: Brian Piendel

The second half opened unevenly for the Orange, as sloppy possessions allowed Stonehill to cut the lead down to five. However, Syracuse quickly settled in, stopping the momentum with a timely floater from George. What followed was a stretch of back-and-forth play where neither team found much offensive rhythm.

Despite the scoring droughts, Syracuse maintained control through hustle and defensive intensity, creating transition opportunities and easy baskets. With five minutes remaining, the Orange had stretched the lead to 21, effectively putting the game out of reach.

George and Starling continued their strong performances through to the final buzzer, finishing with 22 and 20 points, respectively. Head coach Adrian Autry praised George’s recent growth, saying, “Naithan George… I see him being more decisive. I thought he made plays, he was just more decisive and just getting a feel for the offense.”

Naithan George floater against Stonehill. PHOTO CREDITS: Brian Piendel

Starling, who delivered his most complete performance of the season and scored his 1,000 career point tonight, credited his mindset for the breakout game. “I’ve just been coming into the game just playing and not thinking and not overanalyzing my performance,” Starling said. “Just don’t worry about making mistakes, just go out and hoop. And that’s what allowed me to have success.”

With strong guard play, improved shooting, and defensive effort, Syracuse heads into ACC play with momentum and growing confidence at the right time.