SU men’s basketball to battle Vols in ACC/SEC Challenge for 2nd-straight year
For the second straight season, SU men's basketball will take on Tennessee in the ACC/SEC Challenge, CBS’s Jon Rothstein reported Wednesday. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor
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For the second straight season, Syracuse men’s basketball will take on Tennessee in the ACC/SEC Challenge, CBS’s Jon Rothstein reported Wednesday. After travelling to Knoxville, Tennessee for the matchup last season, SU faces Tennessee at home. The date and time for the nonconference showdown have yet to be decided.
SU’s meeting with the Volunteers last December was disastrous. The Orange entered the matchup 0-2 against Power Four teams, and SU leading scorer J.J. Starling was ruled out with a broken hand prior to tip-off. It resulted in Syracuse getting blown out 96-70 and allowing 51 points in the second half.
The result was a clear example of Syracuse failure to associate with the upper echelon of college basketball. The Orange didn’t have any marquee nonconference victories, and their success in conference play often came from beating the bottom teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
As Adrian Autry enters his third season as Syracuse’s head coach, there’s plenty of pressure to win big games. Facing Tennessee at home gives him a chance to make a statement. The Orange have failed to make the NCAA Tournament since 2021, and they haven’t been close since. The Volunteers will provide them with a potential resume-boosting opportunity.
In 2023, during the inaugural ACC/SEC challenge, Syracuse blew past LSU 80-57. Previously, Syracuse participated in the ACC/Big Ten challenge, where it had a 4-6 record.
