After a 14-19 record (7-13 in the conference) in the 2024-25 season, the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team enters the new college basketball season with a mission. The Orange could make some noise this campaign after a busy offseason that included Kiyan Anthony’s commitment to the program.
Additionally, they welcomed back Donnie Freeman and JJ Starling, while landing Georgia Tech transfer Nathan George. This will be Adrian Autry’s third season as the team’s head coach, and they hope they can compete for a spot in the national tournament.
They posted a 20-12 record in Autry’s debut season before their performance dipped last campaign. With their additions and the return of players who should elevate their game, the Orange might make life uncomfortable for the top ACC teams.
Analyst names Syracuse Orange a top-10 ACC team
During Monday’s episode of CBS Sports’ “Inside College Basketball Now,” Jon Rothstein shared his expectations for the Syracuse Orange. The analyst ranked Syracuse No. 9 on his ACC power rankings ahead of the new season. While that might not be the highest ranking, Rothstein believes the Orange can only get better.
“Syracuse is number nine,” Rothstein said. “I’ve talked about how important it is for the ACC that Syracuse becomes nationally relevant again. They have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2021.”
The ACC has multiple talented and traditional teams, such as Duke, Clemson, North Carolina, Louisville and Notre Dame, among others. The job won’t be easy for Autry and Co., but Rothstein is confident this could be the start of a special time for the Orange.
