Syracuse basketball is reeling. A four-game losing skid has the Orange searching for answers, and while head coach Adrian Autry is taking plenty of heat from the fan base, the accountability doesn’t stop at the top. The players have to own this slide, too.
Let’s start with what’s happening on the court. The half-court offense has been stagnant, lacking rhythm and ball movement.
Defensively, a unit that once prided itself on toughness and discipline has looked disjointed and, at times, overwhelmed. Tuesday night’s 20-point loss at NC State was a prime example.
The Wolfpack dominated the second half, especially on the glass, where they outrebounded Syracuse 29-15. That’s not just a stat-it’s a red flag.
Rebounding is effort. It’s positioning, hustle, and desire.
And right now, the Orange are coming up short in all three.
But it’s not just about the X’s and O’s or box score numbers. What’s most concerning is the body language.
The energy. The fight.
Or, more accurately, the lack thereof.
Yes, this is a young team navigating adversity. Yes, emotions are running high.
And sure, it’s understandable that players would defend their coach when fans get vocal with criticism. But what we’re seeing on the floor goes beyond frustration-it looks like a team that’s checked out at times.
And that’s a problem.
Effort should never be optional. Regardless of record, opponent, or scoreboard, competing with pride has to be the baseline. That’s especially true for players representing a program with the history and expectations of Syracuse.
Adrian Autry didn’t mince words after the NC State loss. Early in the second half, freshman forward Sadiq White Jr. picked up his fourth foul, but Autry left him in.
Why? “He was the only one that was trying,” Autry said postgame.
That’s a powerful-and damning-statement. White, a highly-touted 2025 prospect out of Charlotte, was the lone player showing consistent effort, according to his head coach.
That’s not a rotation issue. That’s a locker room issue.
And while some will point fingers at Autry for not getting more out of his roster, at a certain point, it’s on the players to bring their own fire.
These guys are on scholarship. Many are benefitting from NIL deals.
They’re representing a storied program in front of a passionate fan base. And while criticism can sting, the best way to silence it is with effort-diving for loose balls, crashing the boards, making the extra pass.
That’s the standard. That’s what Syracuse basketball is supposed to be about.
With less than two minutes to play and the game out of reach, Autry turned to his reserves, including Calvin Russell III, a five-star football signee who also suits up for the basketball team. Russell chipped in three points, but the move wasn’t about stats-it was about sending a message.
“We’re struggling right now,” Autry said. “I’m trying to look for some different things.
It’s a chance to put those guys in and see what they could do. We gotta look at everything.
Everything is on the table now.”
That quote says it all. This isn’t just about tweaking lineups or adjusting schemes.
This is about resetting the culture. If the season is going to be salvaged, Syracuse needs to find players-starters, reserves, whoever-who are going to compete like it matters.
Because it does.
The next opportunity comes Saturday at home against Notre Dame. The opponent is important, but not as important as the mindset.
The Orange don’t need a perfect game-they need a passionate one. They need urgency.
They need grit.
This isn’t just about breaking a losing streak. It’s about rediscovering what it means to wear the Syracuse jersey.