Syracuse basketball and free throws. It's a long-time narrative. If the Orange had hit its free throws, it likely would have won the 1987 national championship over Indiana. If Kansas had made more free throws, it likely would have defeated the 'Cuse in the 2003 national title game.
Of course, these are hypotheticals. Yet if Syracuse basketball doesn't get its collective act together from the free-throw line - and fast - the Orange could be in for a rude awakening next week in the Sin City.
On Tuesday night at the JMA Wireless Dome, Monmouth threw a scare into the 'Cuse, and maybe that was a good thing. In its first three non-conference affairs, Syracuse basketball won each game handily.
The Hawks, though, were feisty and scrappy. The Orange only led by three points at halftime, although Syracuse basketball extended its lead to as many as 14 points after the intermission. However, the 'Cuse couldn't put Monmouth away.
Syracuse basketball squeaked by the Hawks at the Dome.
The Orange (4-0), to put it simply, was awful from the charity stripe. Combined, the 'Cuse went just 19-of-33 there. That's 57.6 percent. To put it in perspective, Monmouth shot eight fewer free throws, yet it scored one more point at the free-throw line (20-of-25).
At the line, sophomore power forward Donnie Freeman saved Syracuse basketball, going 12-of-14. Everyone else went a collective 7-of-19. That won't cut it. Coming up, the Orange will face No. 2 Houston on Monday, No. 24 Kansas on Tuesday and a third opponent at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. The 'Cuse will also host No. 20 Tennesee in early December as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge.
If the Orange doesn't vastly improve its free-throw shooting, it won't beat those foes. The 'Cuse is leaving way too many easy points at the charity stripe. It also nearly cost Syracuse basketball the game against Monmouth.
Late in the second half, the Hawks had cut their deficit to three points. The Orange missed a pair of free throws, and Monmouth (1-3) could have tied the contest with a 3-pointer. The Hawks didn't connect, and Freeman hit two free throws for the final 78-73 score.
Syracuse basketball also fell way behind on the boards early on but managed to out-rebound Monmouth, 36-35. Rebounding is a concern. The Orange shot 50 percent and 41 percent from the field and and from long range, respectively, which was great.
Syracuse basketball had been feasting on foes' turnovers and converting them into transition buckets in the early part of the 2025-26 season. Against the Hawks, each team had 12 turnovers, but Monmouth actually led 18-15 in points off turnovers. That helped the Hawks remain close in the second half.
The Orange is now 4-0 against Monmouth, the West Long Branch, N.J.-based school in the Coastal Athletic Association ("CAA"). Freeman led the way with 18 points. Junior point guard Naithan George tallied 12 points, nine assists and a mere one turnover. Redshirt senior wing Nate Kingz chipped in 15 points on 6-of-12 from the field.
Senior shooting guard J.J. Starling, who had missed basically the entire season to date with a lower-body injury, had 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in his return. Sophomore forward Tyler Betsey was not available against Monmouth due to an injury that he suffered last Saturday in the Orange's win over Drexel in Philadelphia.