As the Syracuse Orange prepare to take the court Saturday night against Notre Dame, the stakes stretch well beyond the win-loss column. Yes, the Orange are in the middle of a four-game ACC skid and desperately need to stop the bleeding.
Yes, their next two games are on the road against ranked powerhouses in North Carolina and Virginia. But before the ball is even tipped at the JMA Wireless Dome, the program will pause to honor one of its all-time greats - Lawrence Moten.
Honoring a Syracuse Legend
Moten, who passed away before the start of the 2025-26 season, is more than just a name in the record books. He is the record book at Syracuse.
From 1991 to 1995, Moten was the face of the Orange - a smooth-scoring guard who brought consistency, leadership, and buckets in bunches. At a time when players stayed four years and became campus legends, Moten carved out a legacy that still stands tall.
He averaged 19.3 points per game over his four-year career, a model of offensive reliability. His year-by-year scoring tells the story of a player who never plateaued: 18.2 as a freshman, 17.9 as a sophomore, a breakout 21.5 as a junior, and 19.6 to close things out as a senior.
The result? A program-record 2,334 points - still the most ever by a Syracuse player.
And it wasn’t just about scoring. Moten chipped in nearly five rebounds and two and a half assists per game, doing the little things that helped Syracuse win 20 or more games in each of his four seasons. He led the Orange to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 run during his junior year that ended against top-seeded Missouri.
This season, Syracuse has honored Moten’s memory with a commemorative patch on their uniforms - a subtle but powerful tribute to a man who meant so much to the program.
From the Dome to the League
After his college career, Moten was selected 36th overall in the 1995 NBA Draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies - a franchise just getting off the ground. That inaugural Grizzlies team struggled to a 15-67 record, but Moten carved out a role, averaging 6.3 points per game across three seasons with Vancouver and the Washington Wizards.
He shared the court with names like Bryant Reeves (the franchise’s first-ever draft pick at No. 6), Byron Scott, and Greg Anthony - a testament to the level of talent and transition that defined that era of expansion basketball.
Saturday’s Must-Win Matchup
Turning the focus back to the present, Syracuse comes into Saturday’s matchup with a 2-6 record in ACC play and a sense of urgency that’s impossible to ignore. Notre Dame, sitting at 11-10 overall, is no juggernaut, but the Irish represent a critical opportunity for the Orange to right the ship before heading into a brutal two-game stretch against ranked opponents.
Lose here, and the season threatens to spiral. Win, and it’s a potential springboard into February with some momentum - and a chance to honor Moten in the most fitting way possible: with a W in the Dome he once lit up.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET, airing on the CW Network.
Around Campus: Women’s Hoops Making Noise
While the men’s team looks to find its footing, the Syracuse women’s squad is quietly putting together an impressive campaign. After a tough loss to North Carolina, they bounced back in a big way Thursday night, steamrolling Georgia Tech 94-70. Now sitting at 17-4 overall and 7-3 in conference play, the Orange are proving they belong in the conversation among the ACC’s elite.
Laila Phelia led the charge with 23 points, continuing a strong season that’s been full of standout performances.
Saturday night’s game is about more than just basketball. It’s about remembering a legend, honoring a legacy, and trying to find a way forward in a season that’s at a crossroads. For Syracuse, the moment is now - both to pay tribute and to turn the page.