Syracuse basketball narrowly defeated Siena 81-76 in an exhibition game on Sunday in Albany, N.Y. Head coach Gerry McNamara expressed dissatisfaction with the team's performance. "This team is nowhere near where it needs to be," he stated. He emphasized the need for improvement, saying, "We're a long way from that."

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The game carried emotional weight as Siena honored its squad from the previous season, which won its conference tournament and almost pulled off an upset against Duke in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. McNamara previously coached Siena and had three former Saints players transfer to Syracuse along with multiple assistant coaches.

Siena, now under new head coach Nevada Smith, led by one point at halftime. Despite a second-half surge by Syracuse, Siena nearly mounted a comeback. This victory was particularly significant for the Orange, which lost its first exhibition game to UConn by 20 points.

Syracuse's final exhibition match will be against Niagara on Saturday at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. The team is set to open its 2026-27 season at home against New Haven on November 2.

A significant concern for McNamara was that Siena out-rebounded Syracuse 43-37, and led in points scored in the paint, 40-26. However, Syracuse had a strong showing from its bench, scoring 29 points compared to Siena's 4.

Junior guard Gavin Doty led Syracuse with 20 points and eight rebounds, overcoming shooting struggles by scoring 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. Freshman wing Mark Morano made a notable debut, scoring 18 points with 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range. McNamara praised Morano's shooting ability, indicating he could be a vital asset this season.

Junior center Luke Wilson contributed 10 points and eight rebounds, while senior point guard Garwey Dual, easing back into play after a collarbone injury, posted eight points in just 12 minutes. Freshman guard Ryan Moesch added 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists.

Both Tasman Goodrick and junior guard Aiden Tobiason did not play due to injuries. Tobiason may be sidelined for a few weeks, while Goodrick's time is being monitored after limited appearances last season due to knee issues. McNamara is prioritizing player health as the team prepares for the regular season.