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Is Syracuse getting better at anything?

It’s a question you’ve likely muttered to yourself amid SU’s stretch of six losses in its last seven games — a feat that never occurred under Jim Boeheim. Adrian Autry, sitting at the podium fresh off an 87-77 defeat to No. 11 North Carolina on Feb. 2, was asked this same question.

“I think it has,” Syracuse’s third-year head coach softly spoke into the microphone. “But the consistency part is what keeps hindering us to keep pushing forward.”

“We just have to do a better job of really locking in, and focusing on what we talk about and what we preach, and not fighting it, but getting with it, that’s what we have to do a better job of.”

The Orange currently sit two games above .500, but in 13th place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It’s been tough sledding for Autry, who entered 2025-26 with a new-look, transfer- and freshman-heavy roster that should’ve been in a better position to make the NCAA Tournament than last season’s group. It is. Yet, not by much.

Here’s how Syracuse (13-11, 4-7 ACC) has improved compared to last year, despite another underwhelming campaign:

Considerably better defense

Autry prioritized a team that played fast and excelled on defense. Well, they’re not fast. The Orange are actually a bit slower, averaging 67.9 possessions per 40 minutes compared to 68.4 last year, per KenPom.

But they’re certainly a better defense. By significant proportions, too.

SU finished 152nd in overall defensive efficiency last season, according to KenPom, and ranks 63rd this year. It holds opponents to a 48% effective field goal percentage (53rd in the country) and ranked 275th last year by allowing teams to shoot 52.9%.

Forwards William Kyle III, a UCLA transfer, and Donnie Freeman have led the charge defensively. They both rank inside EvanMiya’s top-40 defensive players in the ACC, per its defensive performance rating metric (DBPR). Oregon State transfer guard Nate Kingz has also been a plus-defender, and senior guard J.J. Starling has improved there, too.

William Kyle III defends a Virginia player during SU’s loss to the Cavaliers Saturday. Since joining the Orange, Kyle has helped pilot Syracuse’s improved defense. Tara Deluca | Asst. Photo Editor

Slightly improved shooting

Syracuse obtained a litany of shooters from outside the program this offseason. It not only brought in Kingz and Cincinnati transfer Tyler Betsey, two perimeter specialists, but it also earned four-star Kiyan Anthony’s commitment, expected to be a huge addition off SU’s bench.

The Orange have improved from range, but ever so slightly.

They’re 201st in Division I with a 33.5% 3-point shooting percentage, as opposed to last season’s 225th place with a 32.8% clip. Betsey (41.1%) and Kingz (36.6%) have beefed up Syracuse’s potency from downtown, but others like Anthony (23.3%), Starling (31.8%) and Naithan George (31.6%) haven’t been as consistent.

Freeman’s 34% clip from 3-point range is a welcome development, though, taking one more 3 per game than he did last season and converting with a tad more efficiency.

Welcome to the block party

Zeroing in on SU’s defense, it’s among the best in the nation at blocking shots. The Orange reject shots on 15.9% of possessions, the sixth-highest rate in the country. Last season, their block percentage finished at just 6.8%.

The trend has continued through ACC play so far. Counting solely conference games, Syracuse is second in the ACC with 12.9 blocks a contest, behind Virginia’s 13.9.

As for the host of Syracuse’s block party, look no further than the 6-foot-9 Kyle. His broad wingspan and ability to be light on his feet in the paint allow him to average 2.7 blocks per game, tied for the third-highest mark in the nation.

In addition to Kyle, Freeman is blocking under one shot per game, while freshman forward Sadiq White Jr. and bench center Akir Souare are both averaging 0.7. Kingz has also tallied 13 blocks from the backcourt in 24 games.

Sophia Burke | Digital Design Director

Overall standing

Though SU still has a fighter’s chance to end its four-year NCAA Tournament drought, it’d likely take an ACC Tournament title for that to happen. The same goes for last year’s team, but by most metrics, Autry’s current group is more likely to deliver a Cinderella run to March Madness.

Syracuse is KenPom’s No. 70 overall team, EvanMiya’s No. 68 team and per the NCAA NET Rankings’ 71st team, a few big strides away from being in the dance. With a 14-19 record last year, SU finished outside the top 100 on all three respective leaderboards.

All you need is a few lucky breaks to go on a hot stretch and win an at-large bid via a conference championship win. And Syracuse has a few pieces that could get it there in theory, headlined by Freeman, Kyle and Kingz.

The Orange are still gazing up at the elites of the ACC — Duke, UNC, Louisville, Virginia and more. So while they’ve improved overall, the program’s flailing status hasn’t.

Published on February 10, 2026 at 10:11 pm
Contact Cooper: ccandrew@syr.edu | @cooper_andrews