The Syracuse Orange are back on their home floor Wednesday night, welcoming the Mercyhurst Lakers to the JMA Wireless Dome for their fourth straight game in front of the home crowd. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET, and while this one won’t be on traditional TV, fans can still catch the action streaming on ACC Network Extra via ESPN platforms.
Let’s be honest-this matchup is less about the opponent and more about how Syracuse responds after a gut-wrenching loss over the weekend. The Orange dropped a heartbreaker to Hofstra, 70-69, in a game that had everything: a furious comeback, clutch shots, and a controversial finish that still has fans talking.
Syracuse trailed by 10 with just a few minutes left, but rallied with 11 straight points to take a one-point lead with under a minute to go. The Dome was rocking after William Kyle III calmly sank two free throws to make it 68-67.
But Hofstra wasn’t done. German Plotnikov buried a cold-blooded corner three to flip the lead back with 31 seconds remaining.
From there, it was chaos. Sadiq White Jr. went to the line with a chance to tie it-he hit one of two.
Then, Syracuse’s press forced a five-second violation on the inbounds, giving the Orange one last shot. That’s when freshman Kiyan Anthony, son of Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony, took the ball and attacked the rim.
It looked like he might’ve drawn contact from Hofstra’s Biggie Patterson, but the refs swallowed the whistle. No call.
No foul. No miracle finish.
Hofstra ran out the clock, and Syracuse was left stunned.
That loss dropped the Orange to 6-4 on the season, and while it won’t define their year, it does raise questions about closing out games and how this young squad handles pressure. Head coach Adrian Autry has seen his team show flashes, but consistency-especially in crunch time-remains a work in progress.
Enter Mercyhurst, a Division II squad sitting at 4-7 after getting blown out by Davidson, 80-47, in their last outing. The Lakers have dropped five of their last six and are clearly overmatched on paper. But this game isn’t about Mercyhurst-it’s about Syracuse finding rhythm, building confidence, and tightening the screws before ACC play heats up.
Expect the Orange to use this game to work on execution, especially in late-game situations. It’s also a chance for the younger players-like Anthony and White Jr.-to continue growing in key roles. And don’t be surprised if Autry uses this opportunity to tinker with rotations and defensive looks.
For fans tuning in, this is a chance to see how Syracuse responds after a tough loss. Do they come out flat, or do they come out with something to prove? Either way, all eyes will be on the Dome tonight as the Orange look to bounce back and get back in the win column.