Syracuse Basketball’s Rollercoaster Week: What’s Real, What’s Fixable, and Why It’s Not Time to Panic
It’s been a wild seven days in Central New York. Just a week ago, Syracuse fans were riding high after the Orange knocked off No.
13 Tennessee - a win that felt like a defining moment in the early Adrian Autry era. But since then?
Things have gotten a bit wobbly.
A narrow escape against St. Joseph’s.
A head-scratching one-point loss to Hofstra. And then a win over Division II Mercyhurst that, while comfortable on paper, didn’t exactly scream dominance.
So, what gives? Is this just a mid-December blip, or is there cause for concern in the 315?
Let’s dive into a few key questions that fans are asking - and why, despite the bumps, there’s still reason to believe this Syracuse team can right the ship.
Q: After the loss to Hofstra, is it time to hit the panic button? When’s the last time Syracuse lost to a non-Power 5 team and still made the NCAA Tournament?
Let’s start with some perspective - and a little history.
Yes, losing to Hofstra at home stings. But if you’re wondering whether that kind of loss is a death sentence for an NCAA Tournament bid, the answer is: not necessarily.
You don’t have to dig too far back to find a season where Syracuse took a couple of tough non-conference L’s and still danced in March. In 2018-19, the Orange dropped back-to-back games to Old Dominion and Buffalo - both non-Power Five programs - and still earned an NCAA bid.
That year’s résumé had its blemishes, but it also included strong wins, like a road upset at No. 1 Duke and a home victory over No.
18 Louisville. The Orange finished 10-8 in the ACC and had enough quality wins to offset the early missteps.
It’s not an isolated case, either. Syracuse made the tournament in 2018 after a loss to St.
Bonaventure. Same in 2013 (Temple) and 2009 (Cleveland State).
So while the Hofstra result is far from ideal, it’s not a season-killer - especially this early in the schedule.
The key now is how the Orange respond. There’s still plenty of season left, and plenty of chances to build a tournament-worthy résumé. But the margin for error just got a little slimmer.
Q: What’s the deal with the end-of-game review in the Hofstra loss? Aren’t refs supposed to automatically check those calls in the final two minutes?
This one’s a fair question - especially if you were watching that final inbounds play against Hofstra and wondering why the officials didn’t take a longer look.
Here’s the deal: The NCAA tweaked the rules this past offseason. In the past, officials automatically reviewed out-of-bounds calls in the final two minutes. But that led to too many stoppages and disrupted the flow of the game.
So now, if a coach wants a review on a play like that - say, whether JJ Starling touched the ball on the sideline - they have to use a challenge.
That’s exactly what Adrian Autry did. He challenged the call, believing Starling hadn’t touched it.
The replays seemed to support him, but the officials didn’t overturn the ruling. As a result, Syracuse lost the challenge - and, crucially, their final timeout.
It’s a tough break, no doubt. But under the new rules, that’s the risk you take with a late-game challenge.
The only plays that still get automatic reviews in the final two minutes are goaltending/basket interference calls and restricted area infractions. Everything else?
Coaches have to roll the dice.
**Q: The crowd for the St. Joseph’s game was just 12,584.
When was the last time Syracuse had a regular season Dome crowd that small? **
That number definitely raised some eyebrows - and for good reason. Syracuse basketball is used to drawing big numbers at the Dome, even in down years.
But 12,584? That’s the lowest paid attendance for a regular season game at the Dome in at least 25 years.
You’d have to go all the way back to November 14, 2001, for a smaller crowd - 14,091 fans showed up for a game against DePaul that night.
And that wasn’t even the lowest turnout of the week. Wednesday’s game against Mercyhurst drew just 12,258 - a new season low.
There are a few factors at play here. The opponent, the time of year, maybe even the weather.
But it’s still a sign that the program’s connection with fans is in a bit of a transitional phase. Winning, of course, is the fastest way to fix that.
Final Takeaway:
This past week was a reality check for Syracuse. The Tennessee win showed what this team can be.
The Hofstra loss and the shaky outings against St. Joe’s and Mercyhurst showed how far they still have to go.
But let’s not forget - it’s December. There’s time to grow, time to gel, and time to stack wins that matter.
The Orange aren’t where they want to be yet, but they’re not off the rails either. The path to March is still open - they just need to start walking it with a little more urgency.