The first look at Gerry McNamara’s Syracuse team comes tonight at Mohegan Sun Arena, where the Orange meet Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies in exhibition action. Tip-off is set for 7:00, and the game will stream on Cuse.com.
For Syracuse, the spotlight isn’t just on who plays. It’s on how this team wants to look.
One of the biggest questions surrounds the offense. Siena ran a slower attack, and it worked in the MAAC, but the real test is whether that style carries over to the ACC. Will Syracuse lean into a Boeheim-style approach that controls the shot clock and leans on late-clock execution, or will the Orange push more motion and movement to create cleaner looks?
That matters, but so does what happens on the defensive end, where this roster seems built to make noise.
There’s been plenty of talk all summer about length and defensive intensity, and the opener offers a perfect measuring stick. The hope is a team that switches 1-through-4, applies pressure full court at times, jumps passing lanes, and uses its size to disrupt everything. Garwey Dual gets an early challenge against Silas Demary Jr., and it will be worth watching who McNamara assigns to UConn’s shooters when they come off off-ball screens.
That’s no small task. UConn’s offense is one of the toughest in college basketball to defend, so breakdowns would not be surprising. But Syracuse turning any possession into a straight-up 1-on-1 battle would count as a win.
The defensive focus lines up with what came out of the media day press conference, where “length and defense” were major themes. In this group, “small” still means 6’5 with a 7’1 wingspan.
Facing UConn should tell Syracuse plenty about what that size can do, even if the result on the scoreboard isn’t the point. If the Orange can keep the Huskies from doing whatever they want offensively, that’s a meaningful first step.
If not, the staff will know exactly where the work starts.
There’s also plenty riding on the development of the two young returners. Kiyan Anthony and Sadiq White Jr. can’t just be 15-minute-a-night pieces if Syracuse is going to be good this season.
A jump from one or both would matter a lot, especially with most of the incoming talent coming from Siena or other mid-major programs. Both recruits came in with real expectations, and now the next step is seeing more of that potential come out.
And then there’s the rotation. Syracuse wants to use this exhibition to dig into the bench and learn what it has, so the most interesting details may be who starts, which combinations McNamara uses, and how many players actually get a real run. Individual minutes won’t mean much on their own, but the way the pieces fit together should tell a story.
In Other News...
Syracuse May Be Down To Another Backup Vs Louisville
Syracuse is still sorting through a quarterback room that has been thinned by injuries, and the timing could not be worse with Louisville next up. Steve Angeli may be nearing a return to practice, while Amari Odom is still being evaluated for a shoulder injury and Malachi Nelson is dealing with an upper-body issue, though there are no broken bones.
With the depth chart in flux, Danny Lauter and true freshman Zaid Lott are among the options if the Orange have to move ahead without their injured quarterbacks. It leaves Dino Babers and his staff waiting on medical updates before they can settle on who might be under center when Syracuse lines up against Louisville. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Gets An Early Reality Check Against UConn
Syracuse got its first real measuring stick of the season Sunday at Mohegan Sun Arena, where the Orange faced Connecticut in an exhibition that offered an early look at how the roster might function against one of the sports standard-bearers. The game brought together Syracuses coaching staff, a new set of lineup decisions and the kind of opponent that quickly reveals where a team is still learning to fit together.
The matchup also gave a glimpse of how Syracuse wants to play, with the broadcast providing a wider audience for a team that is still sorting out roles and rhythm. Against UConn, every scoring run and defensive possession carried a little more weight than a typical exhibition, and the Orange left with plenty to study as the real season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Finally Gets A Key Newcomer Back At The Right Time
Garwey Dual appears set to give Syracuse a much-needed boost right when the Orange are trying to sort out their new-look backcourt. The transfer guard has been working his way back after a collarbone injury, and after being cleared for contact practice in late September, he is expected to take the floor in the upcoming exhibition against Connecticut. Syracuse brought him in with the idea that he could eventually settle into the starting point guard role, and his return gives the staff a closer look at how that can work in real time.
For a team trying to build chemistry with a key newcomer, simply getting Dual back on the court matters. He has dealt with injuries before, so there is still some caution in the picture, but he has been practicing and preparing to contribute. The exhibition will offer Syracuse an early chance to see how much he can handle and how quickly he can settle into the offense, which is especially important with the season inching closer. [Read more 🡒]