Syracuse basketball is finally about to play games that count, but the national picture around the Orange remains pretty clear: the skepticism is still there.
After a 2-1 exhibition run, Syracuse opens the regular season Monday night at home against New Haven. The Orange dropped their exhibition opener to UConn, edged Siena in Game 2, then finished by beating Niagara by 13 on Saturday afternoon.
This is the first team under new head coach Gerry McNamara, who takes over after Adrian Autry was fired. McNamara, a former Syracuse standout, is only the third coach the school has had since 1976.
The hope is obvious. The questions are just as real.
For now, the projections aren’t treating Syracuse like a tournament team. ESPN has not included the Orange in its early bracketology, and Syracuse was picked to finish 11th in the ACC preseason media poll. Sports Illustrated’s preseason ranking landed the Orange at No. 65 nationally, which puts them in the rough neighborhood of the bubble if things break right, and outside it if they don’t.
Kevin Sweeney pointed to a couple of reasons for optimism in that ranking. He noted McNamara’s ability to bring in former Siena star Gavin Doty through the portal, along with top Siena commit Ryan Moesch, who has turned in a strong preseason.
Doty appears to be the clear on-court leader for this group, while Moesch is expected to keep earning useful minutes at point guard behind Garwey Dual.
The bigger trend line remains tough for Syracuse. The program hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2021, and it’s still hard to find evidence that this team has changed that outlook in a major way. Since Syracuse joined the ACC in 2014, the conference has sent as many as nine teams to the tournament, but if the Orange really do land in 11th, they’d be on the outside looking in even with the field expanding from 68 to 76 teams this season.
Syracuse now turns the page to the regular season, with New Haven coming to the JMA Wireless Dome on Nov. 2.
Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Syracuse Just Got A Strong Fran Brown Message From Its New AD
Syracuses football leadership got a clear public vote of confidence this week when athletic director Bryan Blair talked about Fran Brown on ESPN Radio. Blair did not dance around the subject, stressing Browns value to the program and pushing back on the old-school idea that a new athletic director has to immediately bring in his guy to make his mark.
Blair also used the interview to touch on the broader changes happening inside the athletic department, while giving a look ahead at the Oranges upcoming football schedule. For a program trying to build momentum under Brown, the message from the top was less about change for changes sake and more about keeping the focus on what Syracuse already has in place. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Turns To An Unconventional Kicking Fix Before Its Next ACC Test
Syracuse is trying something a little out of the ordinary as it gets ready for its next ACC test, adding mens soccer midfielder Quinn Olcott as a kicker, according to coach Fran Brown. The move comes after missed field goals from current options Shay Barker and Tripp Woody, a reminder that the Orange are still searching for more certainty on special teams.
Olcott is not a finished product at the position, but Syracuse is willing to take a look after he showed some range in practice, including a 55-yard field goal. For a team trying to steady itself before another conference game, the bigger question now is whether an unconventional crossover can give the Orange a more dependable answer when they need one most. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Kicking Woes Just Forced An Unexpected Roster Move
Syracuse has turned to an unusual solution to help steady a kicking game that has been too shaky for comfort. The Orange have added soccer player Quinn Olcott to the roster to provide depth at kicker, a move that speaks to how much the staff wants more options after missed field goals and extra points have become part of the conversation.
Olcott is expected to sit behind Shay Barker and Tripp Woody, with Woody also dealing with injuries, giving Syracuse another body at a spot that has suddenly become a concern. At 3-4 and with SMU next on the schedule, the Orange are trying to patch one of the most unforgiving parts of the game before it costs them again. [Read more 🡒]