Syracuse basketball, one of the most storied programs ever in college hoops, is in the midst of an NCAA Tournament drought, by its historical standards.
The Orange hasn't heard its name called on Selection Sunday since 2021, when the 'Cuse went on a magical run to the Sweet 16. Over the past four seasons, as the Orange has failed to make the Big Dance every year, the 'Cuse has only won 20 games on one occasion, and that was Adrian Autry's first term as head coach after replacing the legendary Hall of Famer, Jim Boeheim.
After slogging through a 14-19 mark in the 2024-25 campaign, there is a cautious sense of optimism among some in the fan base, myself included, that this upcoming season will be the one in which Syracuse basketball finally goes dancing again in March.
The Orange begins its 2025-26 stanza in a matter of weeks. Here's what the 'Cuse needs to do to reach the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Syracuse basketball's path to the Big Dance.
Play better defense
Well, Neil, that's an obvious statement. But it's still true. For the Orange to fare better this season, the defense has to vastly improve. The 'Cuse 2025-26 roster is way more athletic than in 2024-25, but there are also 11 new players to this season's line-up. That's a lot of new faces to integrate and try to gel into a cohesive unit. Last season, Syracuse basketball allowed 77.8 points per game on 46.3 percent field-goal shooting and 34.5 percent from beyond the arc. Yikes.
Cut down on turnovers
The Orange's sloppy play with the ball was frustrating to the program and its fan base. In 2024-25, the 'Cuse committed 12.6 turnovers per contest, as compared to 9.9 miscues for its foes. More importantly, perhaps, Syracuse basketball scored 11.1 points per game off turnovers, while its opponents netted 15.3 points. It remains to be seen how well the Orange will shoot the ball, particularly from the perimeter, so the 'Cuse grabbing some easy scores in transition following deflections or steals will be critical.
Continue to crash the glass
Syracuse basketball was solid in the rebounding arena last season. The Orange averaged 37.1 rebounds per game, while its opponents corralled 33.3 boards per encounter. The 'Cuse, by extension, tallied 11.0 offensive rebounds per game in 2024-25, which was No. 5 in the ACC. Syracuse basketball will want to replicate that in 2025-26, as hitting the offensive boards hard will enable it to score easy buckets around the rim or get to the free-throw line. That's especially important if the team isn't efficent from 3-point land.
Shoot the rock more effectively
Again, this is a "duh" statement, but it's also true. While the Orange averaged a respectable 74.7 points per game in 2024-25, the team only shot 45.7 percent from the field, 32.8 percent from beyond the arc and 70.5 percent from the free-throw line. Even if the 'Cuse can get to, say, 48 percent from the field, 35 percent from deep and 75 percent from the charity stripe, that would be massively helpful.
Fare better in the non-conference
In recent seasons, one thing that's hurting Syracuse basketball and some of its ACC peers, related to their post-season resumes, is not getting the job done in the non-conference. The Orange has struggled in the non-conference of late. A lot. In 2025-26, the 'Cuse non-conference docket features four neutral-site games and nine affairs at home. All ACC teams will play 13 non-conference and 18 league battles in 2025-26. Syracuse basketball has to win the vast majority of its home games. The Orange has three contests in Las Vegas, two of which are against Houston and Kansas. Both those units will be ranked. The 'Cuse also hosts Tennessee in the ACC/SEC Challenge. It would so help Syracuse basketball out if it could beat one of those three squads.
Do your NET ranking a favor and ...
One of the most frustrating things about the Orange in recent seasons is that the team often gets blown out when it plays top competition, and that also usually occurs on the road or at neutral sites. Sure, the 'Cuse beating high-quality foes is ideal, but short of that, for its NCAA NET ranking and other metrics, Syracuse basketball will want to keep games against these tougher opponents close. Furthermore, the Orange can ill-afford to lose contests versus lower-rated foes, especially at the JMA Wireless Dome.