Syracuse basketball fans have had plenty to process over the last few months, but a new social media video gave them another reason to look ahead with real interest.
The program’s path has been anything but calm. Adrian Autry was removed after a 15-17 season, and Syracuse turned to Gerry McNamara after his successful two-year run at Siena. Since then, the roster has continued to shift through the transfer portal, and Amarri Monroe’s eligibility remains unresolved.
Even with Syracuse stuck in the longest NCAA tournament drought in program history - the Orange have not been selected since 2021 - the buzz around McNamara’s first season is already building. That was clear earlier this week when the program released what it described as "an in-depth look at summer session of year one of the McNamERA, laying the groundwork for the program's future."
Reaction from fans on X came quickly. One user, The Hill, wrote "Guy is the type of coach players will run through walls for! Love his grit"
Another, "Everything Cuse" wrote
"This was an awesome watch. You can tell Gerry has built a team."
McNamara’s first Syracuse roster is still taking shape, but the projected group includes a mix of guards and forwards that has already given fans something to evaluate. The guards listed are #7 Kiyan Anthony, #23 Noah Lobdell, #4 Gavin Doty, #25 Aiden Tobiason, #3 Garwey Dual, #0 Ryan Moesch, and #2 Ethan Butler.
The forwards are #1 Sadiq White Jr., #6 Calvin Russell III, #5 Tasman Goodrick, #12 Mark Morano Mahmutovič, and #11 Francis Folefac.
The one major question mark remains fifth senior Amarri Monroe. Earlier this week, Monroe filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in hopes of gaining a fifth year of eligllibity.
On the schedule side, Syracuse has already locked in several regular-season games. The Orange will open at home against New Haven on Nov. 2, then host Central Connecticut State on Nov.
- They’ll meet Indiana in Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Nov. 9 before facing UAlbany at the JMA Wireless Dome on Nov.
The Orange also have a Dec. 1 matchup with Oklahoma in the ACC/SEC Challenge, followed by a home game against Canisius on Dec. 16.
A revived old BIG EAST meeting with Providence will take place in Boston at TD Garden on Dec. 19.
Conference dates and times still haven’t been confirmed.
For now, the picture around Syracuse is clearer than it was a few months ago. McNamara has already won before, he’s been a head coach before, and the schedule as it stands looks manageable enough to give the Orange a chance to build momentum early in his tenure.
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