Syracuse Basketball: Orange’s non-conference slate starting to take shape

Syracuse basketball head coach Adrian Autry will lead the Orange in his first official game as the team’s boss when the ‘Cuse hosts New Hampshire on Monday, Nov. 6, at the JMA Wireless Dome, according to SU Athletics.

Autry takes over from the legendary Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim, who retired this past March. The Orange went 17-15 overall in the 2022-23 season, missing the NCAA Tournament for the second campaign in a row.

The team’s non-conference portion of the 2023-24 stanza is beginning to slowly take shape. In early November, Syracuse basketball will face New Hampshire for the first time ever. The Wildcats, a member of the America East Conference, sported a 15-15 record in 2022-23, including a 9-7 mark in regular-season conference play.

New Hampshire fell to UMass Lowell, 75-64, in the semifinals of the 2023 America East Conference Tournament. In 2023-24, the Wildcats also have a first-year head coach in Nathan Davis, who on April 7 of this year replaced Bill Herrion, who guided New Hampshire for 18 seasons.

The Syracuse basketball 2023-24 non-conference schedule is coming into focus.

"In a statement posted on the New Hampshire athletics department Web site, Davis said, “At some point, everyone who has dreamed of playing college basketball has dreamed of competing in the JMA Wireless Dome against Syracuse, one of the most storied basketball programs in the country. It will be a tremendous opportunity for our players and program. We are looking forward to going out and competing against the Orange in Coach Autry’s debut.”"

Besides the Wildcats, there are several other non-conference contests for the ‘Cuse in 2023-24 that have been announced at this point.

SU Athletics recently said that Syracuse basketball will face off against Pac-12 Conference member Oregon on Sunday, Dec. 17, at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Orange will also compete in the 2023 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, which will take place from November 20 to November 22 at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii. All-time, the ‘Cuse is 9-0 in this event, per SU Athletics.

This year’s Maui Invitational is absolutely loaded. The eight-team field consists of Syracuse basketball, Gonzaga, Kansas, Marquette, Purdue, Tennessee, UCLA and Chaminade. In ESPN’s way-too-early top 25 ahead of 2023-24, Kansas is No. 2, Marquette is No. 3, Tennessee is No. 7, Gonzaga is No. 8 and Purdue is No. 18.

While its opponent isn’t yet known, the ‘Cuse will have a game in the inaugural ACC-SEC Challenge this coming season.

I’m hopeful that Syracuse basketball will battle against long-time nemesis Georgetown. This past term, the Orange crushed the Hoyas at the Dome, 83-64. I could certainly see the ‘Cuse hosting fellow Empire State squads Colgate and Cornell in the non-conference docket.

Syracuse basketball has also announced two exhibitions versus a pair of Division II teams. The Orange will host Daemen University on Friday, Oct. 27. On Wednesday, Nov. 1, the ‘Cuse will welcome the College of St. Rose to Central New York.

I’m curious if there are any particular squads out there that my fellow Syracuse basketball fans would like to have on the Orange’s non-conference schedule in 2023-24.