For the first time in over two weeks, Syracuse finally snapped out of its slump - and did so in convincing fashion. The Orange ended a four-game skid with an 86-72 win over Notre Dame at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday, a performance that felt like a much-needed reset button for a team that had been searching for rhythm on both ends of the floor.
“This was our most complete game in a long time,” head coach Adrian Autry said postgame. And he wasn’t wrong.
Syracuse played with energy, cohesion, and, maybe most importantly, resilience - something that had been missing during their recent stretch of losses. They battled for loose balls, contested shots at the rim, and stayed composed even when Notre Dame threatened to swing momentum.
At the heart of it all was redshirt senior forward Nate Kingz, who delivered a career-best performance when his team needed it most. Kingz poured in 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-10 from deep.
But it wasn’t just the scoring - it was the timing. Every time Notre Dame made a push, Kingz had an answer.
Whether it was a corner three to halt a run or a tough finish in traffic, he was the steadying force.
“Way better ball movement tonight than the past two, three games,” Kingz said afterward. “We’ve been keying in on that in practice.
Coach has been on us - ‘we got to move the ball and get guys shots.’ And tonight, teammates found me.”
That improved ball movement didn’t just benefit Kingz. Sophomore guard JJ Starling had himself a night too, finishing with 21 points and five assists.
His first half was flawless - literally - going 7-for-7 from the field and 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. He played with poise and pace, reading the defense and taking what was given.
“He was putting on a clinic,” Kingz said. “That’s what we expect him to do.
He’s a great scorer and one of our leaders. We just got to ride high when he’s playing like that.”
But perhaps the most intriguing storyline came before the ball was even tipped. Freshman forward Sadiq White Jr. was inserted into the starting lineup in place of Donnie Freeman - Syracuse’s leading scorer heading into the game.
It wasn’t due to injury this time. It was a coaching decision, pure and simple.
White Jr. found out the morning of the game that he’d be starting. His response? Lock in on the little things.
“My big thing was I was going to come out and make sure we was going to set screens, hit bodies today, going to rebound,” he said. “Defensively, we was going to get back in transition and just try to do all the little things to win this game.”
It wasn’t flashy, but it worked. White Jr. brought energy and effort, helping set the tone early.
Meanwhile, Freeman came off the bench for the first time this season (outside of injury-related absences) and struggled to find his usual groove. He finished with just 7 points on 1-of-4 shooting - both season lows - and saw limited minutes.
Autry made it clear the move was about matchups, not punishment. “For this game in particular, I thought the matchup was a little better,” he said. “Having him come off the bench for today, that was a big boost for us to throw.”
Whether this becomes a long-term adjustment remains to be seen. Autry didn’t commit to any lineup changes moving forward, and with two ranked opponents on deck, decisions will likely hinge on matchups again.
And speaking of what's ahead - it’s a big one. Syracuse hits the road for back-to-back games against No.
16 North Carolina and No. 17 Virginia.
Both are tough places to play, and both represent opportunities to make a statement.
Freeman knows what’s at stake.
“This could really flip our season in a total different direction if we get these two,” he said. “We all know how road games are in this conference. We’re just going to take it one day at a time, prepare, and go in and compete.”
After a win like this - their most complete effort in weeks - Syracuse has something to build on. The ball moved, the shots fell, and the energy was there. Now, the question is whether they can carry that momentum into two of the season’s toughest tests.