Siena spent Saturday afternoon honoring Syracuse guard Gavin Doty, but the home crowd got a reminder that the tribute was only part of the story. By the end of the game, the same fans were booing him at the free-throw line as Doty closed out Syracuse’s tense 81-76 preseason win in Albany, N.Y.
Doty was a key piece of the finish, drilling all four of his free throws down the stretch to help the Orange survive a game that never felt comfortable. He ended up with a game-high 20 points, while Mark Morano added 18.
“It felt weird in an orange jersey and they’re in their white and green,” Doty said about facing his old teammates.
The day began with Siena recognizing the members of last year’s MAAC tournament championship team with rings and a banner, a fitting backdrop for Gerry McNamara’s return to his former program. But the on-court result turned into a far sharper test than Syracuse likely wanted, with Siena matching the Orange for long stretches and pushing them right to the edge.
“Fun day in terms of getting our rings and seeing the banner go up,” McNamara said. “Not a great day for my blood pressure. And the one thing that’s for sure is we need to get a lot better.”
McNamara left Siena in the offseason to go back to his alma mater, taking three key players with him. Even with that transfer of talent, Siena held its own. The Saints controlled the paint, won the rebounding battle and exposed how much work Syracuse still has ahead of it.
“This team is nowhere near where it needs to be,” McNamara said. “I’ve been adamant about the fact that this group should change the trajectory of where the program is going. We’re a long way from that.”
Siena actually carried a one-point lead into halftime before Syracuse found a little more rhythm coming out of the break and built a double-digit cushion. But that lead didn’t last. In front of what was Siena’s largest crowd since 2022, the Saints clawed back and turned the final five minutes into a scramble.
McNamara pointed to his team’s decision-making during that stretch, beginning with an offensive foul on freshman Ryan Moesch as he pushed off to create separation from a defender. Moesch still had a strong all-around game, finishing with 11 points, 6 rebounds and five assists, but McNamara said that stretch featured three turnovers and too many costly mistakes.
“He’s gonna give me a nervous breakdown at some point,” McNamara said.
Siena even had a chance to steal the lead in the final two minutes. With 42 seconds left, and Syracuse ahead 75-74, Reid Ducharme missed a 3 off the rim.
Doty was then fouled 12 seconds later and stretched the lead to three. From there, he and Morano finished the job at the line, with Morano adding two more free throws to seal it.
Doty said the game served as a reminder that nothing comes easy.
“I’ve never seen someone have the perfect season or every game goes well,” Doty said about the close win. “It’s going to be about lifting each other up and then having each other’s backs.”
The Orange’s uneven showing also reflected the state of their roster. Syracuse came into the game with only two contributors back from last season and has been dealing with injuries throughout preseason. McNamara said the team has had just one practice with its full roster available since the season started, and most practices have featured multiple expected contributors sidelined.
Against Siena, Syracuse was without Aiden Tobiason, who could be its best player, and Tasman Goodrick, another expected contributor. Kiyan Anthony played only part of the second half because of knee tendonitis, while Morano returned after missing the previous game with an injury.
The victory followed a 20-point loss to UConn in Syracuse’s first exhibition game, giving the Orange a narrow escape and a short breather before the work continues.
“We’re going to figure it out,” McNamara said. “But it’s been a rough stretch.”
In Other News...
Syracuse Wasted Too Much In Another Loss Fans Saw Coming
Syracuse had enough offense to hang around with Louisville, even outgaining the Cardinals in total yards, but the Orange could not get out of their own way in another ACC loss that felt all too familiar. A series of turnovers and mistakes, including multiple interceptions from quarterback Malachi Nelson, undercut the kind of production that usually should have been enough to keep a conference game competitive.
The defense did not make the early situation any easier, either, as Louisville moved the ball freely in the first half and kept extending drives on third down. By the end of the 34-26 defeat, Syracuse was left with the same troubling pattern that has followed it through this ACC skid, good stretches undone by the sort of breakdowns that make every missed chance feel even bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Keeps Sliding As One Orange Star Carries An Unsteady Offense
Syracuses trip to Louisville was another reminder of how thin the margin has become for an offense trying to keep the Orange afloat. In a 34-26 loss, Syracuse dropped its Atlantic Coast Conference losing streak to 11 games, even as receiver Umari Hatcher turned in a huge day with 224 receiving yards and quarterback Malachi Nelson pushed through a recent collarbone injury to stay on the field.
Louisville, meanwhile, got past a slow start from quarterback Lincoln Kienholz and eventually found enough rhythm to finish the job. For Syracuse, the bigger issue was familiar: one star production night was not enough to cover for an unsteady offense, and the frustration keeps building as the conference slide stretches on. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Suddenly Has A Quarterback Problem It Cant Ignore
Malachi Nelsons night against Louisville ended early after he left with a right foot injury, adding another layer to a quarterback situation that already had Syracuse juggling bodies. Nelson had been playing through bruised ribs, and once he exited, backup Danny Lauter finished the final drive, leaving the Orange to sort through an already thin room as they move deeper into the schedule.
Fran Brown now has a depth issue he cant really paper over, with multiple quarterbacks injured or unavailable and more questions than answers heading into the next stretch. For a team trying to keep its season on track, the immediate concern is simple: who can take the snaps, and how quickly can Syracuse get someone healthy enough to hold the position together? [Read more 🡒]