Syracuse basketball opens a new chapter Monday night, and the pressure points are easy to spot.
After back-to-back losing seasons, the Orange are trying to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021, and first-year coach Gerry McNamara is the man tasked with steering the turnaround. Syracuse begins its 2026-27 season against New Haven, with McNamara’s first regular-season game at the helm coming after a busy offseason and a roster reshaped by his arrival.
McNamara knows the program well. He was a national title-winning guard for Syracuse in the 2002-03 season, and he arrives after spending the last two years rebuilding Siena. That run ended with the Saints reaching the 2026 NCAA Tournament, where No. 16 seed Siena nearly knocked off top-seeded Duke in the opening round.
Syracuse made the coaching change in March after a 15-17 season under Adrian Autry, who was let go after three seasons. McNamara brought several pieces from Siena with him, including three players and a group of Saints coaches.
There’s intrigue in the Orange’s roster, which has depth and plenty of positional flexibility. But the questions are real, too.
Syracuse still has to prove it has enough talent and enough shooting to make the whole thing work. McNamara’s identity is built on energy and toughness, and the biggest test is whether that shows up in the areas that usually decide games: defense and rebounding.
The opener against New Haven is set for 7:00 pm EST on Monday, Nov. 2, at the JMA Wireless Dome, with ACC Network Extra carrying the live stream. It’s the first meeting between the programs.
New Haven is coming off its first season at the Division I level. The Chargers, members of the NEC, finished 14-17 overall and 9-9 in league play in 2025-26.
Syracuse has already had a preview of what McNamara is working with. The Orange played three exhibitions, and he wasn’t fully satisfied with any of them. Syracuse lost to UConn by 20 points, edged Siena by five, and beat Niagara by 13.
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