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Syracuse didn’t just reverse its fortunes at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship — it made a statement. Despite stumbling into the postseason facing several setbacks, the Orange surged past No. 1 Seed Notre Dame and No. 3 Seed Duke to capture their first conference tournament title since 2016. The victories cemented SU’s NCAA Tournament berth and secured it a first-round home game.

What was once a bubble team riddled with uncertainty is now a national contender.

With eyes on the NCAA Tournament, the No. 6 Seed Orange’s path to their first national championship since 2009 starts with Harvard, which they lost to on Feb. 22. A possible quarterfinal showdown with No. 3 Seed Princeton looms and No. 2 Seed Maryland — SU’s bête noire, which it hasn’t beaten since 2009 — remains further down the bracket.

To end a 16-year championship drought, Syracuse (11-5, 2-2 ACC) will need to lean on these keys during the NCAA Tournament:

Great isn’t enough for Mullen. He needs to be exceptional.

Near the beginning of the 2025 season, Syracuse head coach Gary Gait assessed his vaunted 2022 recruiting class, saying the biggest difference about them becoming juniors is “confidence.”

For sophomore faceoff specialist John Mullen, that confidence must surge ahead of schedule. Now in the final stretch of his second season, Mullen’s the engine that pushes Syracuse to a national title.

Mullen has been outstanding in his first campaign as a full-time starter. He boasts the fifth-best faceoff winning percentage in Division I at 63.6%, though that number increases to 66.1% — a mark that would be top three in the nation — when Mullen plays at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Mullen’s been a metronome in cleats. At the ACC Tournament, he won 79% of his draws — as certain as a sunrise and just as good at spoiling the night for the opponent.

He might need to hit the same firmament in the NCAA Tournament. His value is clear for the Orange. He averages 4.59 expected goals added (xGA) per game — a metric that measures a player’s actions on goal-scoring chances — placing him in the 98th percentile nationwide, according to Lacrosse Reference.

When Mullen dominates, Syracuse wins. In SU’s five losses this season (excluding the then-No. 15 Harvard upset victory over SU, where he won 90.3% of his draws), Mullen’s faceoff percentage finished below 51.5%. An off-day for Mullen could be the difference between title dreams and a premature exit.

Run the offense through Joey Spallina

Joey Spallina’s shoulders have been piled with expectations and responsibility like Atlas hoisting the heavens — only his weight comes with a shot clock and a scoreboard.

As a freshman, Spallina boldly declared his goal: four championships in four years at Syracuse. Two seasons in, he’s still chasing his first. If the Orange hope to right their ship, Spallina must grip the wheel. It’s time to let him drive Syracuse to the promised land.

That doesn’t mean Spallina needs to score. It might mean he needs to shoot less. SU won the ACC Tournament with Spallina netting just one goal, but his six assists over the two games willed SU to success. He is prone to force low-percentage shots occasionally, ending promising possessions.

When he’s on his game, he’s like a wasp after a sip of Cuban coffee, buzzing around the defenses. His most impressive showing this season was when he scored four goals against Notre Dame’s Tewaaraton shortlisted defender Shawn Lyght. But bigger defenders can overpower him when the 5-foot-11 Spallina is stationary or stuck at X. That happened against No. 1 Cornell and No. 2 Maryland, where he managed just one and two goals, respectively, on a 30% shot percentage across the games.

His real magic, though, lies in his mobility — he’s like a hummingbird darting through the chaos, finding pockets of space where defenders can’t reach him, while finishing with the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel.
Spallina must ignite the offense, not just score. As the NCAA Tournament nears, the Orange’s success hinges on his ability to balance flair with smart decision-making. If he leads with poise and creativity, Spallina can inch closer to achieving part of his stated goal.

Give Payton Anderson more run

With Spallina more mobile on offense, freshman Payton Anderson can fill his spot at X. Anderson can use his 6-foot-3 frame to create goals for himself with his footwork, athleticism and physicality.

The No. 18 recruit in the class of 2024, according to Inside Lacrosse, proved that in two-goal performances at Virginia and in the ACC title game versus Duke. With Finn Thomson returning from injury, SU has its full complement of attacks. However, Anderson’s skillset and size offer something the starting attack line of Spallina, Owen Hiltz and Finn Thomson — who are all 6-foot-1 and under — don’t.

Anderson has a 44% shooting percentage in the 93rd percentile, second on Syracuse — just behind Thomson’s 44.2 — according to Lacrosse Reference. But Anderson’s 10th-highest shot share for the Orange at just 3.3% underscores a simple truth: Syracuse has an underused weapon. Anderson has proven he can punish elite defenses, and his unique blend of size, strength and skill adds a unique dimension to SU’s offense.

To fully unleash their firepower, the Orange need to give Anderson more opportunities — not just as a backup, but as a game-changer.

Trust Riley Figueiras to lockdown opponents’ No. 1 option

Call him Bill Withers — because Syracuse leans on Riley Figueiras to lock down the opposition’s top threat. On Sunday against Duke, he did just that, holding Blue Devils attackman Eric Malever scoreless. It was a stark contrast from their first meeting, when Malever mutilated the Orange with five goals. The key difference? Figueiras took the assignment in round 2. In the first clash, it was Michael Grace.

Figueiras is among the elite defenders in college lacrosse. He ranks in the 96th percentile for defensive expected goals added, per Lacrosse Reference. His lockdown ability showed again in the ACC Semifinals, when he limited Tewaaraton Award finalist Chris Kavanagh to just two goals.

But it’s not just shutdown defense — Figueiras wreaks havoc, too. His 19 caused turnovers this season are in the 99th percentile, showing his physicality can flip possessions instantly.

Still, defense isn’t a one-man job. Even if Figueiras erases the opponent’s top weapon, others can do damage — and the best teams often attack in waves. For Syracuse to make a deep postseason push, its entire defense has to elevate.

That starts with discipline. SU averages more than three-and-a-half man-down minutes per game, a vulnerability an elite team can’t afford. The formula is clear: put Figueiras on the opponent’s alpha, stay out of the penalty box and let the entire defense carry it closer to a championship.

Push Luke Rhoa, Michael Leo to dodge closer to the cage and take smarter shots

SU’s primary downhill dodgers, Luke Rhoa and Michael Leo, never need a second invitation to shoot. That can be a good thing: Rhoa exploded for four howitzers against then-No. 16 Towson, and Leo scored three goals in a tight win at UVA.

But their aggressiveness can hurt the Orange when it leads to rushed, low-percentage shots that kill promising possessions. Rhoa is shooting just 23%, placing him in the 31st percentile nationally, while Leo’s 28% ranks 54th. Both are capable shooters, but they must recognize when to let it fly and when to swing the rock.

As dodgers, their aggression should shift toward getting deeper into the defense. Rather than settling for hopeful rips from range, they need to drive closer to the cage, where their power and precision can do real damage. Turnovers may rise, but so will the Orange’s scoring efficiency.

Published on May 8, 2025 at 1:37 am
Contact Nicholas: njalumka@syr.edu | @nalumkal