The succession plan after Jim Boeheim’s retirement didn’t exactly going according to plan in western New York. Three years under Adrian Autry’s leadership was enough to see that the program wasn’t heading in the right direction, especially after back-to-back 14th place finishes in the ACC standings. Instead, the Orange plucked a different familiar son as the next head coach of this program.
Gerry McNamara returns to Syracuse as that next head coach. A former guard with the Orange, he was an assistant largely under Boeheim for 15 years before getting his first taste of leadership at Siena. The past two seasons with the Saints went rather well, culminating in that intense near-upset over Duke in the NCAA Tournament. Now, McNamara will try to hit the right notes back home with his alma mater.
A new look for Orange
Unsurprisingly, he and his new staff had a lot of work this offseason. Syracuse saw Donnie Freeman and Naithan George flee into the transfer portal while a few seniors like Nate Kingz and JJ Starling aren’t back either. The Orange shed their top five scorers from last season and have basically rebuilt a new lineup using the portal and a few freshmen pieces.
It’ll be very difficult for Syracuse to disappoint in McNamara’s first season, though clearly everyone is hoping this program takes a positive step. Those 14th place finishes got old really quick and it’s suddenly been a long time since this program was revered at the national level. We’ll soon see just what kind of turnaround can be engineered in year one, though let’s first check in on this new-look rotation.
Projected Starters
Guard – Garwey Dual (Senior)
A talented new point guard and intriguing weapon on this roster, Dual is a former Top 40 recruit who played at Providence and Seton Hall before starring with McNeese last year. That junior season was eventful, putting together 8.4 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.6 steals while starting half of the Cowboys’ games. Syracuse will expect him playing a major role on both sides of the ball as he hopes for a breakthrough performance.
Guard – Gavin Doty (Junior)
Quite familiar with McNamara, Doty spent the last two seasons playing for Syracuse’s new head coach when they were both at Siena. The work was outstanding for the 6-5 guard, being a double-digit scorer as a freshman before averaging 18.0 points and 6.9 rebounds last season. Doty was MAAC Tournament MVP and a major influence on that late push and Syracuse is hoping he’s a rising star in this backcourt.
Guard – Aiden Tobiason (Junior)
Another transfer addition with intriguing potential, Tobiason comes Syracuse’s way after spending a pair of seasons over at Temple. The Delaware native averaged 15.3 points and 3.7 rebounds while taking a massive step forward as a full-time starter last year. Tobiason was one of the most improved player in the American and looks to continue that upwards trajectory in Syracuse’s lineup.
Forward – Sadiq White Jr. (Sophomore)
A rare returner from last season, White is hoping that year two with the Orange is more productive both for him and this program as a whole. A major part of last season’s recruiting class, White averaged 6.1 points and 3.3 rebounds while getting a handful of starts. He’s an explosive frontcourt player who many are expecting has a chance to really shine with a sophomore leap.
Center – Luke Wilson (Junior)
What Wilson offers this lineup is ideal as the new piece at the 5. A 6-9 center originally from Augusta, Georgia, he comes to the Orange after a pair of seasons on the court for Appalachian State. Wilson was the top shot blocker in the Sun Belt last year, putting up 10.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks with solid efficiency numbers. We’ll see how his game translates into the ACC but Syracuse needs him to have a reliable season.
Key Reserves
Guard – Ryan Moesch (Freshman)
A 4-star point guard out of Massachusetts, Moesch actually committed to Siena and opted to follow McNamara once he got the Syracuse job. That might be a step upwards, but don’t expect too rocky of a transition. He’s a great leader and facilitator and has every opportunity to earn a major role in this lineup even as a true freshman.
Forward – Tasman Goodrick (Senior)
We really haven’t seen a lot of Goodrick on the court, as he’s played just 18 games at the D1 level across the last three years. The Australian forward started his career with Cal Baptist before starring in D2 at Gannon, though an injury cut his year short last season. However, he’s another player joining McNamara from Siena, so the staff knows what he’s capable of after averaging 9.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in nine contests.
Guard – Kiyan Anthony (Sophomore)
He’s far from the elite athlete his father was more than two decades ago but Anthony is hoping to make his own mark in western New York. A former Top 40 recruit, he’s unsurprisingly staying in Syracuse and looking to build on an up and down freshman year that saw him put up 8.0 points and 1.4 rebounds per game largely off the bench. Expect a similar role but with more minutes as he tries to earn more notoriety in this new lineup.
Center – Abdramane Siby (Freshman)
While still relatively raw as a prospect, Siby is a 7-footer from Mali and a very interesting offseason addition to this lineup. He has a phenomenal wingspan and does impressive work around the rim. He could become a notable shot blocker very early in his career with that size, especially if he plays smart on both ends and avoids foul trouble.
Forward – Francis Folefac (Sophomore)
It might not shock you to hear that Folefac is another notable player heading to Syracuse after great work at Siena. He was a starter for the Saints as a freshman last season, putting up 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds while nabbing All-Freshman honors in the MAAC. He certainly won’t have that same type of role with the Orange, though it’d be silly to ignore his potential and the trust this staff has in him in the frontcourt.
Forward – Mark Morano (Freshman)
Morano is a wing from Slovenia who could potentially turn into quite the catch with the Orange. He’s just 19 but has experience in European pro leagues and looks like one of the better offensive players of this offseason for the Orange. We’ll see just how he adjusts to the college game, especially on the defensive end, though he has a chance to earn minutes here.
Forward – Amarri Monroe (Senior)
Last but far from least, Monroe is hoping to see the court with the Orange if his eligibility is confirmed in the weeks ahead. He began his career at Wofford before starring with Quinnipiac, winning MAAC Player of the Year in 2025. McNamara got plenty of looks at him in that conference, watching him put up 15.6 points and 8.3 rebounds last season. He’s likely a starter for this team if he’s eligible and that experience and physicality would be huge.
Schedule Outlook
Ignoring a few notable exhibition games, Syracuse begins the regular season with a pair of home games before their first real test. They’ll head to Indianapolis to face Big Ten team Indiana with an early chance for this lineup to prove themselves, but it’s far from the only opportunity.
They’ll face off against former Big East rival St. John’s in Madison Square Garden on November 15th, a game that might be a rude awakening. They’ll relax at home for a few weeks before the SEC/ACC Challenge takes them back on the road, face Oklahoma on December 1st.
It’s a nonconference schedule with plenty of winnable home games, though there’s one more game of note before ACC play starts in late December. They’ll go to war with another former rival, facing off in Boston against Providence on the 15th.
There’s no such thing as easing into conference, as the Orange host Duke already on January 5th and have tough matchups with Miami and Louisville soon after that. We’ll know quickly if Syracuse is taking a leap forward, though this former 14th place team has plenty of notable matchups later in the season. They actually avoid road games at any of the four North Carolina schools in the league and even get Virginia at home.
Season Outlook
We’re not going to look at things and compare a perfect result to reality. If things go perfectly in the coming weeks, the Orange will have Monroe eligible as a great weapon at the forward position. Even without him, this lineup has significant talent and a number of pieces, both young and old, that McNamara and company trust and understand.
While many in Syracuse are hoping that Anthony can breakout and escape his father’s shadow, the fact of the matter is that Doty and Dual are the more likely starters right now. That isn’t to say that Anthony won’t play a major role, but Doty developed into a star with Siena and has every opportunity to continue his forward momentum. Don’t ignore what Tobiason and some of those other depth pieces mean as well.
The situation gets a little murkier when we’re talking about the frontcourt. Like with many other teams, there’s a ton of potential but the Orange are leaning heavily on some inexperienced players, especially if Monroe isn’t available. Siby and Wilson both have great size and strength around the basket, but this team really needs some combination of Folefac, Goodrick, and White to really establish themselves.
There may have been a negative connotation at times, but the talent in this lineup should allow the Orange to finish more middle of the pack in the ACC this season. That’s not the best-case or worst-case scenario but a realistic expectation. If Anthony or Doty become stars and the frontcourt stabilizes, then McNamara might have another Tournament team on his hand; though hopefully he plays more than five players in the postseason.
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