Syracuse basketball, under first-year head coach Gerry McNamara, looks to recover from a 20-point loss to UConn in a previous exhibition when they face Siena on Sunday, October 18, at 2:00 PM EST. The game will take place at the MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y., and will be especially significant for McNamara, who previously coached at Siena, and for three former Siena players who transferred to Syracuse this offseason.
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McNamara led Siena to a successful turnaround, achieving a 23-12 record and winning a conference title in the 2025-26 season, culminating in a NCAA Tournament appearance where they nearly upset top-seeded Duke. Siena's current head coach is Nevada Smith, a former assistant at Marquette. This matchup marks Siena's first and only exhibition game, while Syracuse is slated to play three exhibitions in total. Following their game against Siena, the Orange will face Niagara in Buffalo on Saturday, October 24, at 3:00 PM EST. Syracuse has won all eight official games in their history against Siena.
Injury updates ahead of the game indicate that junior guard Aiden Tobiason sustained an upper right-leg injury during the UConn exhibition and is currently listed as "day-to-day." His availability for the Siena game remains uncertain as he continues to recover. Additionally, four-star freshman Mark Morano did not participate in the previous game but was able to practice fully on Thursday and is expected to play against Siena. Live coverage of the game will be available on ESPN+.