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Syracuse University
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Buffalo (exhibition)
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Orange Top Buffalo in Exhibition at KeyBank Center
10/25/2025 9:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Orange men's basketball team took down the Buffalo Bulls, 76-66, in a wire-to-wire win in an exhibition game on Saturday evening at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. A well-rounded offensive performance powered the win, with the Orange shooting 48.1% from the field and nine different members of the team making their way into the scoring column.
The offense was paced by Tyler Betsey, who led the way with 14 points. The Orange knocked down nine shots from beyond the arc, including Betsey shooting three-for-three from the distance. Naithan George facilitated the offense, dishing out six assists.
Meanwhile, the Orange held the Bulls to 42% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. The Orange forced 11 turnovers in the win.
How the Game Was Decided
The Orange controlled the game from start to finish, never trailing in the wire-to-wire victory. J.J. Starling opened the scoring with a three-pointer on his first shot attempt of the year, and Syracuse never looked back. The Orange built an early 11-4 lead behind buckets from Nate Kingz and Kiyan Anthony, then extended it to 27-16 after 11 minutes while shooting 62.5% from the field.
Syracuse took a commanding 39-27 lead into halftime with nine different players contributing points. Naithan George led the balanced attack with nine points and four assists in the opening half.
The Orange picked up right where they left off in the second half, opening on a 6-0 run to push the lead even further. Betsey and Anthony both reached double figures as Syracuse maintained control throughout, cruising to the 10-point win. William Kyle III and Donnie Freeman also eclipsed double digit scoring in the victory.
Sharing the Love
The Orange saw nine different players get into the scoring column on Saturday evening and six different players knocked down a three. Naithan George was efficient in distributing the ball, recording four assists on the opening 10 buckets for the Orange.
Donnie Freeman, J.J Starling, and Luke Fennell joined George in recording multiple assists.
Newcomers in Action
The new-look Orange saw contributions from several new faces. Namely, Naithan George shined in his first action in a Syracuse uniform with nine points, seven boards, and six assists. Tyler Betsey was lights out offensively, shooting five-of-seven from the field with 14 points.
Nate Kingz, William Kyle III, Ibrahim Souare, and Kiyan Anthony also found their way into the scoring column in their Syracuse debuts.
Kyle III made his presence known on the boards, leading with nine rebounds and 10 points.
Notable Numbers:
- Nine different Syracuse players scored in the win.
- Naithan George led all scorers in the opening half, scoring nine points.
- George also dished out four assists in the opening frame.
- The Orange held the Bulls to 31% shooting in the opening half.
- Syracuse knocked down nine three-point shots in the game, with six different members of the Orange recording at least one make from distance.
- Tyler Betsey led the Orange with 14 points on five-of-seven shooting, including going three-for-three from beyond the arc.
- William Kyle III narrowly missed out on a double-double, scoring 10 points while grabbing nine boards.
Up Next The Orange will return to the JMA Wireless Dome for one last exhibition when they take on Pace on Wednesday, October 29th at 7 p.m.
For complete coverage of Syracuse men's basketball, follow the team on X (@Cuse_MBB) and Instagram (cuse_mbb).
