Gerry McNamara's first official game as Syracuse basketball's head coach will be at home in early November against a first-time foe for the Orange.
SU Athletics announced on Thursday afternoon that the 'Cuse will host the University of New Haven on Monday, Nov. 2, at the JMA Wireless Dome. That non-conference encounter will represent the first-ever meeting between the Orange and the Chargers, a private university located in West Haven, Conn.
Syracuse basketball went 15-17 a season ago under then-head coach Adrian Autry, parting ways with him after the 2025-26 campaign and hiring another SU alum, McNamara. In 2025-26, New Haven was in its first term competing at the NCAA Division I level as a member of the Northeast Conference ("NEC").
Season opener vs. New Haven will be Nov. 2 at the Dome! 🍊🗓️
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) July 9, 2026
📰 https://t.co/xUKV0mLC0J pic.twitter.com/S3PLlpkXvE
The Chargers went 14-17 overall and 9-9 in NEC play. Ted Hotaling has served as New Haven's head coach for the past 15 seasons, tallying an overall mark of 232–201. Hotaling has led the Chargers to the NCAA Division II Tournament five times, including an Elite Eight appearance at the end of the 2022–23 stanza.
Syracuse basketball's non-conference schedule to date for 2026-27.
In the upcoming campaign, the 'Cuse is expected to have 14 non-conference games and 18 Atlantic Coast Conference affairs. Per official announcements and media reports, here is the Orange's non-conference schedule to date:
•Syracuse basketball against New Haven at the Dome on Monday, Nov. 2
•Syracuse basketball against Central Connecticut State at the Dome on Thursday, Nov. 5.
•Syracuse basketball against Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Monday, Nov. 9
•Syracuse basketball against Lafayette at the Dome on Saturday, Nov. 21
•Syracuse basketball at Oklahoma on Tuesday, Dec. 1, as part of the annual ACC/SEC Challenge
•Syracuse basketball against Providence at the TD Garden in Boston on Saturday, Dec. 19
•Syracuse basketball against St. John's at Madison Square Garden in New York City (date TBD)
•Syracuse basketball against Rutgers at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. (date TBD)
•Syracuse basketball against Albany at the Dome (date TBD)
Reports have indicated that Syracuse basketball is eyeing non-conference battles against Central New York neighbors Colgate and Cornell at the Dome. If those occur, that would give the Orange 11 of its 14 non-conference contests, with only three remaining.
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