Syracuse didn’t just beat Central Connecticut State on Thursday night. It showed a version of itself that Gerry McNamara clearly wants to make the program’s identity.
The Orange rolled to a 102-49 win at the JMA Wireless Dome, a far cleaner and more complete performance than the 16-point home victory over New Haven in the opener. Syracuse is 2-0, and this one looked like the kind of game where the effort level matched the score from start to finish.
The clearest snapshot came late, with the Orange already ahead by 47 points and fewer than four minutes left. Fifth-year forward Amarri Monroe, the Quinnipiac transfer who has dealt with eligibility issues in court with the NCAA, dove on the floor for a loose ball. It was the kind of play that doesn’t show up in a box score the way points do, but it said plenty about what McNamara is trying to build.
Monroe put it plainly after the game: "We talked about being a 40-minute team. So, I mean, it doesn’t matter how much we’re up.
I still want to play with that same intensity. Get the crowd into it.
Get the bench into it."
McNamara loved it, and he made that clear in his postgame comments.
"Forty points and you make a play like that, laying down the line every second, every possession. It’s who we’re gonna be.
It’s who we need to be all the time. Just a hell of a play, a hell of an effort.
But that’s who we need to be."
That’s the standard now: fight, toughness and maximum effort on every possession, no matter the score. McNamara has been stressing that from the start, and Thursday’s game offered a clean example of what it looks like when Syracuse actually delivers it.
There’s still plenty to learn about this team. The real test comes Monday night against Indiana in Indianapolis, and the Orange will keep facing opponents with more talent and bigger roster budgets, including teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Some fans already believe Syracuse may have to win by grinding people down this season, and that may be true.
What Monroe did against Central Connecticut State is the kind of blueprint Syracuse will need if it wants to survive those matchups: hustle plays, fewer turnovers, better rebounding, defense, free throws, mental sharpness, steals, and easy points in transition. Those are the details McNamara’s system demands.
The questions about offense and 3-point shooting are still out there. So are the bigger ones about how good Syracuse can really be after two straight losing seasons and no NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021.
But Thursday night gave the Orange something useful: a glimpse of the effort level McNamara wants, and a reminder that sometimes the loudest statement is a dive on the floor when the game is already well in hand.
In Other News...
Former Syracuse Coordinator Suddenly Lands In A Stunning Michigan Situation
Michigans decision to move on from offensive coordinator Jason Beck has created a messy financial wrinkle around a hire that only went into place this offseason. Beck, who previously coached at Syracuse and New Mexico, arrived in Ann Arbor with the expectation of helping reshape the offense, but the school has now fired him after just a short stay, according to a report citing an anonymous source.
The reported buyout could reach as much as $10.1 million, a figure made up of nearly $7 million in salary and $3.1 million in retention bonuses, though that total is still subject to offset and mitigation depending on Becks next job. For Syracuse followers, it is another reminder of how quickly a familiar coaching name can get pulled into a high-stakes situation far from Central New York. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Faces Another O-Line Shakeup Before A Crucial NC State Test
Another week, another change along Syracuses offensive line. Head coach Fran Brown said starting right guard Jayden Mann will miss the upcoming game against North Carolina State after suffering a lower-body sprain in the previous game, a setback that comes as the Orange continue trying to stabilize the front of the offense.
Mann does not have structural damage, but Syracuse expects him to be out until at least a potential bowl game if the team qualifies, leaving the staff to sort through options again. Oluwafunto Akinshilo and Byron Washington are among the players being considered for the spot, and the Orange are still juggling other offensive line injuries as they prepare for a crucial test against NC State. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse QB Situation Just Got More Complicated Before NC State
Syracuses quarterback picture took another turn this week as Fran Brown said Malachi Nelson will throw during practice and could be available against North Carolina State, depending on how he moves after minor surgery for a high ankle sprain. Nelson had already been listed as doubtful and then ruled out for recent games, so even the possibility of getting him back adds a new layer to a situation that has been shifting almost by the day.
Brown also confirmed that Amari Odom is done for the season after shoulder surgery, though he is expected back for spring practices. For a Syracuse offense trying to settle itself late in the year, the uncertainty around Nelson matters because it leaves the Orange waiting on one more health check before knowing whether they have another option under center for a key ACC matchup. [Read more 🡒]