Following its 2-0 exhibition slate, featuring a road win against Buffalo and a dome victory against Pace, Syracuse opened the JMA Dome for real tonight as they welcomed the Bearcats to tip off its 2025/2026 season. Binghamton did not play any October exhibition games, and this rust was compounded by losing its top three scorers from 24/25. The Orange got off on the right foot as a pivotal year begins:
- The defense was very encouraging
During media day, Head Coach Adrian Autry talked about the team’s strength and conditioning work over the offseason. This extra training showed throughout the night as SU held Binghamton to just 45 points. Because of the effort on defense, ‘Cuse was able to create more transition points; It ended the night with 21 fastbreak points by catching Binghamton off-guard following a block or steal. Oregon State transfer Nate Kingz and sophomore power forward Donnie Freeman protected virtually any offense from the Bearcats.
- Donnie Freeman looks like the five-star that Syracuse recruited
After his season-ending foot injury, Freeman’s future with Syracuse looked bleak; many NBA Draft analysts expected the highly-rated freshman to turn pro along with JJ Starling. Freeman and Starling’s joint return statement brought hope for a successful 25/26 season. His efforts in recruiting top transfer portal additions were invaluable. Freeman is now finally able to contribute back on the hardwood. He ended the night with a dominant 21 points and two blocks.
- Three Pointers weren’t a strong suit
There was always going to be a rust period, as for any college basketball collection of 18-22 year old players, but a 3-20 3-point clip isn’t something to be proud of on a night where virtually everything else went Syracuse’s way. The Orange also struggled from behind the arc in their last exhibition game against Pace, shooting 6-18 in that contest as well. Game 1 shouldn’t cause much panic, but the lack of a true three-point threat plagued SU last season.
- William Kyle III looks VERY strong
Last season, it was Eddie Lampkin; over the offseason, fans speculated about Tiefing Diawara. Its safe to say Syracuse fans have been starved for a center (And a way to defend against the premier NBA-level big men in the ACC). The UCLA transfer threw down multiple lobs for 16 points in addition to being a major contributor to helping the Orange win the rebound battle .
5. Syracuse has a bench unit
The freshman unit of Kiyan Anthony, Sadiq White, and Luke Fennell gives Autry enough of a bench to be flexible on night-to-night matchups, but veteran bench assets such as Tyler Betsey and Ibrahim Souare provide the comfortability to take out the Orange’s top stars and give them a rest during high-stakes games. SU beat Bingham 31-6 in bench points, and the bench unit goes 10 players deep for the first time in years.
Syracuse’s next hosts Delaware State on Saturday, November 8th. Make sure to follow @OrangeFizz on Twitter for live updates throughout the game.
