Syracuse men’s basketball has added another close-to-home date to its non-conference schedule, and this one keeps the Orange right in the Empire State.
SU Athletics announced Tuesday that Binghamton will visit the JMA Wireless Dome on Tuesday, Dec. 22. It will be the second straight season Syracuse hosts the Bearcats, as first-year head coach Gerry McNamara continues to fill out the 2026-27 slate.
The matchup also extends a one-sided series. Syracuse leads Binghamton 6-0 all time, and every meeting between the schools has taken place on the Hill. The two programs are separated by about 75 miles.
The most recent game came in the 2025-26 season opener, when Syracuse played in front of nearly 20,000 fans and rolled past Binghamton, 85-47. Kiyan Anthony scored 15 points for the Orange, while Donnie Freeman added 20.
Binghamton is coming off an 8-23 season and finished 4-12 in America East play. Two important returnees for the Bearcats are center Demetrius Lilley and guard Jeremiah Quigley.
Lilley played only 11 games because of an injury but still averaged 14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Quigley put up 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists per contest.
The Binghamton announcement brings Syracuse’s non-conference schedule closer to complete. The Orange’s current docket includes games against New Haven on Monday, Nov.
2, Central Connecticut State on Thursday, Nov. 5, Indiana on Monday, Nov.
9, Lafayette on Saturday, Nov. 21, Oklahoma on Tuesday, Dec. 1 in the annual ACC/SEC Challenge, Colgate on Tuesday, Dec.
8, Canisius on Wednesday, Dec. 16, Providence on Saturday, Dec. 19 at TD Garden in Boston, and Binghamton on Dec.
Also listed are matchups with St. John’s at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Rutgers at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Albany at the Dome, though all three still have dates to be determined.
Syracuse is expected to play 14 non-conference games and 18 Atlantic Coast Conference games in 2026-27. With 12 non-conference games currently on the board, two remain. Reports have said SU could host Cornell, another Central New York opponent, which would leave Syracuse with 13 of its 14 non-conference games set.
In Other News...
Why Nazir Ward Could Matter More Than Syracuse Fans Realize
Nazir Ward arrives in Syracuse with the kind of rsum that usually earns a closer look, even before a player puts on the orange. The redshirt junior spent last season at Western Kentucky, where he was on the field for every game and showed the sort of versatility that can travel well, finishing with tackles, a sack, an interception and a handful of pass breakups. For a Syracuse secondary that values depth and flexibility, that background alone makes him worth tracking as the 2026 season approaches.
Ward is also expected to slide from defensive back into safety, which could be the detail that ends up mattering most. Position changes do not always take quickly, but they can open a path for a veteran transfer to carve out real playing time, and Syracuse appears to view him as someone who can push for a starting role. He is part of a deeper pipeline of Miami Northwestern talent on the roster, adding another layer of familiarity as he tries to find his place in a crowded defensive backfield. [Read more 🡒]
Carmelo Anthony Sounds Alarm On What Syracuse Still Lacks
Carmelo Anthony has been clear that Syracuses path back to the top is about more than nostalgia. The former Orange star said the program still needs stronger financial backing, a steadier connection to the culture that once defined it and a deeper effort to keep former players tied to the teams day-to-day identity. For a fan base that remembers what the program looked like at its peak, it was a reminder that the gap is not just on the floor.
Anthony also pointed to the value of keeping Syracuse alumni involved in a meaningful way, a piece he sees as part of rebuilding the programs foundation. The challenge now is turning that broad vision into something concrete, especially with the money question still hanging over the conversation and the internal discussions around what it will take to compete again remaining behind closed doors. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Faces One Coaching Choice That Could Define The Season
After a 3-9 season and a full staff reset, Syracuse has put itself in a familiar spot for a program trying to climb back into relevance: the new hires matter almost as much as the returning players. Vince Kehres arrives to take over a defense that struggled badly a year ago, while Juan Castillo is tasked with cleaning up an offensive line that never gave the offense much room to breathe. Both jobs come with real pressure, and both sit at the center of what the Orange need most in 2026.
The defensive side has the louder red flags, from a lack of sacks and turnovers to a scoring defense that simply did not hold up. On the other side, the lines issues showed up in the run game and in protection, which makes Castillos presence just as easy to circle as Kehres when trying to project what changes the season most. Inside the building and around the program, the question is not whether Syracuse needs both coaches to hit, but which hire ends up mattering more when the wins and losses start to stack up. [Read more 🡒]