Tyler Betsey, Nate Kingz shine vs. St. Joe’s: ‘They’re big time for us’
In Syracuse's 71-63 win over Saint Joseph's Thursday, Nate Kingz and Tyler Betsey combined to hit all six of the Orange's triples. Christian Calabrese | Staff Photographer
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Tyler Betsey tells Nate Kingz he’s one of the best shooters he’s ever seen. It’s why Betsey says he encourages Kingz to be aggressive and score.
The feeling is mutual. It’s why Kingz lit up with a smile and said, “I’m a fan, just like y’all,” when talking about his teammate in the locker room.
In Syracuse’s (6-3, ACC) win over Saint Joseph’s (6-4, Atlantic 10), Betsey and Kingz showcased plenty of reasons why they’re so fond of each other’s games. They combined for 30 of the Orange’s 71 points, shooting 11-of-17 from the field and 6-of-10 from beyond the arc.
“We’re just shot makers, and today we made shots,” Betsey, who scored a team-high 16 points, said.
Head coach Adrian Autry lauded both for their outside shooting prowess. It’s an area which the Orange have struggled in so far this year, shooting 30.0%, but Betsey and Kingz are known for their proficiency in that department.
In his first season playing for a power conference program last year, Kingz, now a redshirt senior, posted a 131.1 offensive rating and 65.3% true shooting percentage at Oregon State, placing 25th and 26th nationally in those marks, per KenPom. His 44.7% 3-point percentage is an essential reason why.
The Orange honed in on three key areas when rebuilding their roster over the offseason: an athletic big man, a top-tier point guard and a shooter. Kingz was the shooter.
But his Syracuse career began slowly. Through seven games, he averaged 8.1 points (3.7 below his 2024-25 average), shot 39.7% from the field and 23.5% from beyond the arc.
Autry’s confidence never wavered. After Kingz scored five points as Iowa State dismantled the Orange for their third loss during the Players Era Festival, the third-year head coach said, “There’s no doubt that he’ll get it going.”
He responded by dropping a team-high 19 points in SU’s upset win over then-No. 13 Tennessee. His next act was adding 14 points to boost Syracuse over the Hawks.
To regain his confidence, Kingz said he got back to his roots, getting as much live action as possible, whether it be 5-on-5, 2-on-2 or 1-on-1.
“I just kind of got back to that, because that’s what I’ve always done,” Kingz said.
Betsey, meanwhile, has shown flashes throughout the start of his SU career. His team-high 16 points against then-No. 3 Houston nearly secured an upset for the Orange. He then followed that by draining another four 3-pointers a day later against Kansas.
But Thursday was his best performance yet. While the sophomore’s efficiency has been sporadic, he was a pristine 6-of-9 from the field against the Hawks.
His 6-foot-8 frame and shooting prowess shaped him into the No. 53 prospect in his class, per 247Sports, but he struggled as a freshman at Cincinnati last season. Playing just 11.1 minutes per game, the forward averaged 3.3 points while shooting 35.7% before entering the transfer portal.
Betsey said his role is a “3-and-D” wing, which is a term reserved for players who excel at shooting 3s and playing strong defense. His 3-point shooting has always been his reputation, but Autry said postgame that he’s greatly improved defensively since his high school days — which Betsey credits to his time with the Bearcats last year.
While Kingz felt he didn’t play great defensively against Saint Joseph’s, he entered Thursday’s contest with a 98th percentile defensive grade, per EvanMiya.
Though EvanMiya is less fond of Betsey’s defense, ranking him in the 54th percentile, 3-and-D players like Kingz and Betsey are essential to Syracuse’s success. The Orange’s identity is that of a hard-nosed defensive team, but to pull out wins, they need players to step up and make shots.
On Thursday, that’s what Kingz and Betsey did, each draining three 3-pointers on 3-of-5 shooting — combining for all six of SU’s made 3s on a day when it attempted a season-low 14 triples.
For the Orange to return to March Madness for the first time in five years, they’ll need the pair to keep knocking shots down.
“They’re big time for us,” guard J.J. Starling said.
