Syracuse basketball's 13-game non-conference docket during the upcoming season is complete.
Well, for the most part. One opponent is still to be determined, and the date of a second match-up is also to be determined. On Monday, SU Athletics announced that the Orange will host Delaware State in the first-ever battle between the programs.
The 'Cuse will welcome the Hornets to the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday, Nov. 8, according to cuse.com. Delaware State, located in Dover, is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference ("MEAC").
🚨 Schedule Update 🚨
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) August 11, 2025
We'll tip off at the Dome vs. Delaware State on Nov. 8
📰 https://t.co/HgDXBvK27B pic.twitter.com/HA3uRJBg9R
During the 2024-25 campaign, the Hornets went 16-14 overall and had an 8-6 record in MEAC competition. Head coach Sam Waterman, in 2025-26, enters his fifth season at the helm of Delaware State.
Here's the full non-conference schedule for Syracuse basketball.
Saturday, Nov. 8, Syracuse basketball versus Delaware State at the JMA Wireless Dome
Saturday, Nov. 15, Syracuse basketball versus Drexel in Philadelphia
Tuesday, Nov. 18, Syracuse basketball versus Monmouth at the JMA Wireless Dome
Saturday, Nov. 22, Syracuse basketball versus Saint Joseph's in Las Vegas
Monday, Nov. 24, Syracuse basketball versus Houston in Las Vegas (Players Era Festival)
Tuesday, Nov. 25, Syracuse basketball versus Kansas in Las Vegas (Players Era Festival)
Wednesday, Nov. 26, or Thursday, Nov. 27, Syracuse basketball versus opponent TBD in Las Vegas (Players Era Festival)
Tuesday, Dec. 2, Syracuse basketball versus Tennessee at the JMA Wireless Dome (ACC/SEC Challenge)
Saturday, Dec. 13, Syracuse basketball versus Hofstra at the JMA Wireless Dome
Wednesday, Dec. 17, Syracuse basketball versus Mercyhurst at the JMA Wireless Dome
Saturday, Dec. 20, Syracuse basketball versus Northeastern at the JMA Wireless Dome
Monday, Dec. 22, Syracuse basketball versus Stonehill at the JMA Wireless Dome
***Date TBD, Syracuse basketball versus Binghamton at the JMA Wireless Dome***
Of the Orange's 13 non-conference contests, eight are at home. The other five games are at neutral sites (Las Vegas and Philadelphia). Syracuse basketball doesn't have a true road encounter in this season's non-conference, although five neutral-court affairs is a sizable amount away from the Hill.
On paper, this is a challenging but not overly daunting non-conference calendar for the 'Cuse. Houston will be highly ranked in the preseason top-25 polls ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. Kansas and Tennessee are heavyweight programs.
However, the remaining non-conference games are absolutely winnable for the Orange. I'd love to see Syracuse basketball go, at worst, 10-3 in the non-conference. That would be a solid record as the 'Cuse would then head into its 18-game Atlantic Coast Conference docket.