Support The Daily Orange this holiday season! The money raised between now and the end of the year will go directly toward aiding our students. Donate today.

Following a nine-day break, Syracuse has a two-game stretch in less than 48 hours. The Orange took care of business against Saint Joseph’s late Thursday night, pulling away in the final minutes after a close battle throughout.

SU’s sixth win of the season came on Dec. 11, 17 days before it achieved the mark last season. The Orange continue to tune up for Atlantic Coast Conference play on Dec. 31. Up next is Hofstra.

The Pride are off to a 7-4 start after dropping their first two games versus UCF and Iona. Hofstra beat up on a Division II and III team, but were also tested against Pennsylvania schools Temple, La Salle and Pitt.

Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (6-3, ACC) will fare against Hofstra (7-4, Coastal Athletic):

Aiden Stepansky (7-2)
The JC Bowl
Syracuse 73, Hofstra 66

When I see these two teams, it’s hard not to think of Jaquan Carlos. The point guard transferred from Hofstra to Syracuse in the 2024 offseason and played a key role in SU’s struggles in Autry’s second year. Well, Carlos is now playing in Finland, and both sides are much improved from a year ago. This could be closer than it looks on the surface, but the Orange will prevail.

The Pride already took down an ACC team this season, defeating Pitt on the road 80-73 Sunday. Plus, they’re riding in hot after a 69-point win over Division III Old Westbury. Hofstra’s guard play is elite and will give SU issues. Cruz Davis is averaging over 20 points per game with a 42.6% 3-point clip.

Syracuse certainly didn’t look its best versus Saint Joseph’s, but it was largely a shake-off-the-rust game after over a week’s hiatus. Sharpshooters Tyler Betsey and Nate Kingz are beginning to find a groove, as proven through their combined 6-for-10 3-point numbers Thursday.

This is likely the most difficult opponent for the Orange’s nonconference outside of the four-game Quad 1 gauntlet. But SU is simply too good to drop this one, even as the Pride are soaring.

Cooper Andrews (7-2)
Flu game 2.0
Syracuse 72, Hofstra 61

Naithan George had a good reason for why the Orange might’ve struggled Thursday in a narrow win over St. Joe’s. He said he was feeling ill for 3-to-4 days prior to tipoff. Autry confirmed that a few guys were “a little bit under the weather.” Nobody used sickness as an excuse. But to me, it’d be pretty valid to do so. You’re bound to play sluggish when you’re sick.

I’m not sure if Syracuse will be fully recovered in time for a quick two-day turnaround to face Hofstra, but even if it’s playing its second straight flu game, I think SU will end thoughts of this contest being a trap-game and win this one handily.

Against a Hofstra squad that gives up 3-point makes at a 35.6% rate, which ranks well within the bottom half of the nation, per KenPom, I see Kingz and Betsey going off again for solid nights from beyond the arc. At the same time, SU will continue playing tenacious defense without forward Donnie Freeman and put up an impressive showing versus a feisty Pride offense. While Davis and freshman guard Preston Edmead could finish with heavy scoring production in the backcourt, Hofstra won’t get anything inside against William Kyle III.

And to win the game, Autry will watch his team deliver at least one precious “kill shot” — a run of 10 or more points — at some point in the second half.

Justin Girshon (7-2)
A win is a win
Syracuse 75, Hofstra 67

The Orange built off their win over then-No. 13 Tennessee with another victory against Saint Joseph’s on Thursday, but they admittedly didn’t look great. They dropped from No. 62 to No. 67 on KenPom, while EvanMiya dropped them from No. 58 to No. 65 after the eight-point win.

Syracuse’s offense hasn’t looked as imposing ever since Freeman’s been sidelined, and there’s no reason to believe all of a sudden it’ll be fixed with just one day between facing Hofstra and Saint Joseph’s. Hofstra is likely the best team SU faces in its “tuneup” stretch before conference play, so the Orange should be in for another tight matchup.

If Syracuse were to win comfortably, I’d argue the only way that’s possible is if George, J.J. Starling and Kiyan Anthony can play at the high levels they’re capable of — which hasn’t been the case for most of the last handful of games.

With illnesses going around, a short time between games and whatever else is happening, I see the Orange finding themselves in another dogfight on Saturday. But in the end, it’ll be another win … and a win is a win, at the end of the day.

Published on December 13, 2025 at 4:11 am