Syracuse’s second exhibition game of the season will come with a little more than just basketball attached to it.
On Sunday, the Orange are set to face Siena at MVP Arena in Albany, and the matchup will double as a homecoming for a number of people now tied to Syracuse. It is also a follow-up to Tuesday’s 72-52 loss to UConn, so this one gives the Orange another early look before the season gets going for real.
The biggest extra wrinkle is what Siena plans to do before tip-off. The Saints will honor their 2025-26 MAAC Championship team by raising the championship banner at MVP Arena, and the timing is no accident.
Siena is holding the ceremony in this game so that McNamara, who was the head coach of that Saints team before coming to Syracuse, can be part of it. Several members of his staff were also on that Siena bench, while Gavin Doty, Francis Folefac and Tasman Goodrick were on the roster.
Doty, in particular, left his mark last season. He was named MVP of the MAAC Tournament as Siena won the title, and the Saints nearly knocked off No. 1 Duke in the NCAA Tournament.
According to Mark Singelais of the Albany Times Union, the banner ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET, with tip-off coming a half hour later. There will also be a ring ceremony.
The setup is a little unusual. A pregame celebration like this puts both sides in an awkward spot, since it asks everyone involved to split focus before the game even starts.
Usually, teams can deal with ceremonies like awards presentations or senior night. This one feels different because it affects both programs.
On the Syracuse side, there are a couple of simple things to watch after the UConn loss. Kiyan Anthony will try to get going from deep after going 0-for-5 from 3-point range and finishing with five points against the Huskies. And Sadiq White will be looking to do more on the boards after managing just one rebound, which he called "unacceptable."
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