After a rocky start to the season, Syracuse men’s basketball is finally showing signs of life. Three straight wins in ACC play have the Orange trending in the right direction, and while none of those victories came easy-or against top-tier competition-they’ve at least given Adrian Autry’s squad a foothold in the postseason conversation. The climb back into the NCAA Tournament picture is far from over, but the Orange are starting to look more like a team with a plan.
Still, there’s work to be done. Those three wins came against teams with a combined 2-11 record in the ACC, and Syracuse is far from a finished product.
With Donnie Freeman back in the fold and the lineup in flux, Autry is still figuring out the right mix. Here are three rotation tweaks that could help the Orange keep building momentum as they head into the heart of conference play.
1. Scale Back the Mass Substitutions
We’re not talking about full-on hockey line changes here, but at times, it’s felt close. Autry has shown a tendency to swap out three or four players at once, especially early in games. It’s a bold strategy, but it comes with a cost-namely, throwing a group of inexperienced players on the floor together, which can disrupt rhythm and stall momentum.
Instead of cycling in entire units, there’s a case to be made for staggering the minutes of younger players like Kiyan Anthony, Sadiq White, and Tyler Betsey. Let them mix in with the veterans, get reps alongside the likes of J.J.
Starling or Naithan George, and learn in real-time how to operate within the core system. That kind of integration can accelerate development and keep the offense from grinding to a halt when the bench checks in.
Syracuse doesn’t have the depth to run full-platoon subs anyway. So why not lean into a more fluid rotation that puts young talent in better positions to succeed?
2. Pair Nate Kingz and Tyler Betsey on the Floor
Tyler Betsey has quietly become one of the Orange’s most reliable perimeter threats. His nine-point outing against Pitt and 18-point performance versus Florida State weren’t just flashes-they were signals that he’s ready for a bigger role. With George and Starling not exactly lighting it up from deep, Betsey’s shooting gives Syracuse a much-needed floor-spacing weapon.
Meanwhile, Nate Kingz has yet to find his groove from beyond the arc. After hitting 44.6% of his threes last season at Oregon State, he’s struggled to replicate that form in ACC play, converting just 27.8% of his attempts. But the potential is still there-and pairing him with Betsey could be the key to unlocking it.
Right now, defenses are still treating Kingz like Syracuse’s top shooter, which means he’s drawing the toughest perimeter coverage. But if Betsey is on the floor with him, defenders have to pick their poison. That spacing could give Kingz cleaner looks and ease the pressure that’s been weighing on his shot.
Beyond the shooting, a Betsey-Kingz combo would stretch opposing defenses in ways Syracuse hasn’t consistently done this season. It would make it tougher to double Donnie Freeman in the post and open up driving lanes for George and Starling. This doesn’t have to be the go-to lineup, but it’s a look Autry should be exploring more often.
3. Lean Into the Size Advantage
For much of the season, Syracuse has leaned on three-guard lineups out of necessity. Freeman’s nine-game absence forced Autry to go smaller and quicker. But now that the freshman forward is healthy-and thriving-there’s more flexibility to go big.
And Freeman hasn’t just returned; he’s come back looking like a future star. In four games since rejoining the lineup, he’s averaging 23 points, nearly 8 rebounds, and doing it all with a 69.8% true shooting percentage.
He’s hitting threes, protecting the rim, and showing an advanced feel for the game in transition. Simply put, he’s been a matchup nightmare.
With Freeman back, Autry has started to experiment with bigger lineups, including Betsey at the three alongside Freeman and William Kyle. But there’s room to go even bigger.
A frontcourt featuring Freeman, Kyle, and Sadiq White might be one of the most physically imposing trios in the ACC. That group brings size, length, and athleticism-and could overwhelm opponents on both ends of the floor.
White’s minutes have dipped since Freeman’s return, but giving him run in a big lineup could accelerate his development and give Syracuse a unique defensive look. That kind of versatility could be a valuable card to play in matchups where the Orange need to control the glass or protect the paint.
The Orange are far from a finished product, but the pieces are starting to come together. With Freeman emerging as a legitimate star and young talent like Betsey and White flashing upside, Autry has more options than he did a month ago. The key now is fine-tuning the rotation-finding the right combinations, the right moments, and the right mix of experience and youth.
Syracuse doesn’t need to reinvent itself. It just needs to keep evolving. Because if the Orange can continue to build on this three-game win streak-and make the most of the tools at their disposal-they’ll have a real shot at making noise in March.