Syracuse men’s basketball is getting a little national respect before the season even tips, and for a program that has spent the last five years searching for traction, that matters.
Jon Rothstein’s early ACC preseason power rankings placed the Orange seventh in the 18-team league, a step up from Syracuse’s 13th-place finish last season. That kind of jump does not guarantee an NCAA Tournament bid, but it does put the Orange in a far better conversation than they’ve been in for a while.
The backdrop is hard to ignore. Syracuse has missed the NCAA Tournament in five straight seasons, which is a school record.
The program also has not played a tournament game in front of fans in more than seven years. Syracuse did appear in the 2021 tournament, but COVID-19 protocols kept the stands empty.
Now the Orange are trying to turn the page under new head coach Gerry McNamara, whose second season at Siena helped earn him the Syracuse job. After a busy offseason that included coaching, administrative and roster changes, the program is starting to draw more attention nationally.
Rothstein also singled out Sadiq White as an ACC breakout player this season. White’s first college season came last year, when the 6-foot-9 forward averaged a little more than six points and three rebounds across 31 games. The rising sophomore chose to stay in Central New York instead of transferring or entering the NBA Draft.
The roster around him looks very different. White is one of just three returners, along with Kiyan Anthony and Noah Lobdell, and he’ll be joined by 11 new teammates this season. Syracuse’s frontcourt group includes forwards #1 Sadiq White Jr., #6 Calvin Russell III, #5 Tasman Goodrick, #12 Mark Morano Mahmutovič and #11 Francis Folefac, while the center spots list #23 Luke Wilson, #10 Abdramane Siby and #13 Iker Martinez.
There’s at least a clear early schedule to work with. Syracuse opens its first home regular season game against New Haven on Nov. 2, then hosts Central Connecticut State on Nov.
- The Orange will play Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Nov. 9, welcome Lafayette on Nov. 21, and face Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. on Dec. 1 as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Syracuse also hosts Colgate on Dec. 8 and Canisius on Dec. 16 at the JMA Wireless Dome, before meeting Providence in Boston at TD Garden on Dec. 19 in a revival of an old BIG EAST matchup.
The early read from Rothstein is simple: Syracuse looks better on paper than it did a year ago. Whether that turns into a real leap is the part the Orange still have to prove.
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Syracuse Suddenly Has A Bigger Battle To Keep This OL Commit
Omari Lawson has become one of the more interesting names in Syracuses 2028 class, and not just because he has been pledged to the Orange since October. The Jacksonville offensive lineman from Zarephath Academy has climbed to four-star status and sits 146th overall in the updated Top247, a notable rise for a prospect who was still unrated when he first chose Syracuse.
Since that commitment, Lawsons profile has exploded, with nearly 20 schools jumping in and putting fresh pressure on Syracuse to hold serve. Florida, Georgia and LSU are among the programs that have offered, and Lawson plans to take visits this fall while still saying he remains committed to the Orange, leaving Syracuse to navigate a recruiting battle that is only getting more crowded. [Read more 🡒]
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The most interesting part is how much of the early pressure still lands on the defense, where Syracuse needs the new faces to make an immediate difference. The Orange are trying to turn over a unit that struggled to finish plays last season, and the pass rush remains the clearest place to look for a quick fix. Brown can point to the upgraded depth and the broader talent mix, but until one transfer starts changing games off the edge, the whole class remains more promise than proof. [Read more 🡒]