Meet the ‘juicing station,’ Syracuse’s bench mob fueling 3-0 start
Syracuse refers to its bench as “the juice station.” The Orange’s bench outscored Drexel 21-11 Saturday, helping SU to a 30-point win. Eli Schwartz | Staff Photographer, Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor
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PHILADELPHIA — Adrian Autry introduced the concept before Syracuse’s first scrimmage. The Orange built a star-studded starting lineup in the offseason around J.J. Starling and Donnie Freeman.
But if Autry’s going to restore SU to national prominence, it would need a bench to uphold its end of the bargain.
Enter the “juicing station.”
Center William Kyle III first remembers Autry coining the term in the offseason. Fast forward a few weeks and Syracuse’s (3-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) 21 bench points helped it to an 80-50 victory over Drexel (1-3, 0-0 Colonial Athletic) Saturday. The Orange’s bench outscored the Dragons’ by 10 points.
Over SU’s first three games, it’s produced a plus-37 scoring margin over its opponent’s benches. With Starling missing all but three minutes of the season and Tyler Betsey exiting early Saturday due to an ankle injury, the Orange are leaning on their depth to dominate. So far, it’s working out.
“The bench is what we call our ‘juicing station,’” Autry said postgame. “Those guys are in it. They’re waiting to get in. They provide energy. They got the juice. And once they get in the game, they bring the juice.”
When Autry mentioned the term for the first time, Kyle also remembers him naming walk-on Noah Lobdell as its captain. In the ever-changing landscape of college sports, Lobdell is the only walk-on remaining on Syracuse’s roster. He’s become a fan favorite. The student section chants his name to enter in the final minutes of a blowout.
Lobdell played in only two games last season. As Autry’s job could weigh on making or missing March Madness, the third-year head coach is banking on every little detail to near perfection. One of those is scoring margin, which requires the Orange to play their top talent until the very end. But, with SU leading by 33 and just 76 seconds to play, Lobdell entered off the bench. It was the icing on the cake for a stellar second half.
“He’s the guy that is making sure everyone is bringing the energy and bringing the juice,” Autry said of Lobdell. “It’s a big job. It’s a big responsibility. Some people may say it may not, but it really is.”
Noah Lobdell and Luke Fennell sit on Syracuse’s bench in its exhibition win over Pace. Both Lobdell and Fennell made the most of their minutes against Drexel. Eli Schwartz | Staff Photographer
Kyle said, as the Orange climb to reach their “kill” count each game, Lobdell is the one letting everyone know how close they are. As Syracuse searched to increase its totals against the Dragons, the “juice station” took over.
Another new mantra for SU this season is the “fighter of the game,” where a player is chosen each game to don boxing gloves and a championship belt with #OrangeStandard imprinted on it. The honor was given to the usual suspects in Syracuse’s first two games: Naithan George and Kyle. After the win over Drexel, it was split among SU’s four key bench players: Sadiq White, Bryce Zephir, Luke Fennell and Akir Souare.
After transferring in from Cincinnati, Betsey has been a top option off the bench. But with 9:32 remaining in the first half, he suffered a lower-body injury and didn’t return. As a result, White and Souare saw more time. The two built a stronger defensive presence in the second half.
On one play, Souare blocked a shot and slapped it in bounds to a teammate to secure the possession. White recorded a steal and a block, and could play even more if Betsey’s injury remains. Postgame, Autry said the injury “didn’t seem serious” when asked by The Daily Orange.
With Starling still missing some time, Zephir showed off his defensive skills once again. The Montana State transfer paired with George in the second half to wreak havoc through the full-court press. The Dragons turned the ball over 18 times, and eight were in the second half. While playing a season-high 15 minutes, Zephir said his energy helps the guys both on and off the court. He feels SU’s bench is connected to the game, even when they’re not playing.
Despite leading by five at halftime, Autry said he didn’t feel the Orange brought the energy he desired. In the second half, the bench “set the tone.” George thought, as SU pulled away, the bench “carried the load.” In other words, the “juicing station” brought the juice.
“When we came out in the second half, the energy from the guys on the bench to the guys on the court really was contagious,” Kyle said.
Now, 120 minutes into Syracuse’s 2025-26 season, every player on the roster but freshman Aaron Womack has appeared. Autry said postgame the Orange are having discussions about Womack possibly redshirting.
As for everyone else, SU has found its niche. Whether it’s boxing gloves, dog bones or metaphorical blenders, Syracuse’s bench fueled another win.
