In the aftermath of Syracuse's 77-64 loss to North Carolina, guard Nate Kingz opened up about his future, hinting at the possibility of returning to the Orange for the 2026-27 season. While he’s not entirely sure how the eligibility rules work, Kingz expressed his openness to the idea.
Kingz's journey through college basketball has been anything but typical. After starting at an NAIA school, he moved to a junior college for his sophomore year and redshirted his junior year due to injury.
He then played a redshirt junior year at Oregon State before transferring to Syracuse. With five years already under his belt, the decision on whether his NAIA year counts against his eligibility could be key to his return.
On the court, Kingz has been a standout for Syracuse, averaging 11.3 points per game on an impressive 47.5 percent shooting. His 36.3 percent success rate from beyond the arc makes him the team's most reliable deep threat. His recent performances include scoring in double figures in eight of his last 11 games, highlighted by a 28-point game against Notre Dame and 27 against Cal.
Looking ahead, Syracuse sits at 15-13 overall and 6-9 in ACC play. With just three regular-season games remaining, the Orange are facing the prospect of missing the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive year. Their next game is scheduled against Wake Forest on February 28.
In other news from campus, a record crowd of 23,606 attended the men's basketball game, marking the largest turnout for any college game this season. Meanwhile, former Syracuse star Eric Devendorf shared his thoughts on social media, seemingly critiquing the team's performance.
Congratulations are in order for Syracuse women’s hockey coach Britni Smith, who recently helped lead Team Canada to a silver medal at the Olympics, falling to Team USA in the gold medal game. This marks Team USA's second gold in the last three Olympics.
Lastly, the Syracuse men’s lacrosse team suffered a narrow 13-12 loss to Harvard, a setback that will likely affect their top national ranking when the new polls are released.
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