Syracuse Rolls Past Binghamton in Season Opener

Monday, November 3

Syracuse, N.Y.

7:00 PM

Syracuse University

1-0,0-0ACC

Binghamton

0-1,0-0America East

Binghamton

Syracuse

11/3/2025 9:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Highlights Adrian Autry Postgame vs. Binghamton Kiyan Anthony Interview William Kyle Interview Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse (1-0) used a suffocating defensive performance to defeat Binghamton (0-1), 85-47, at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Donnie Freeman led the Orange with 20 points on .636 shooting (7-of-11) while also grabbing a team-high six rebounds. Naithan George facilitated the offense, assisting on eight baskets while recording 14 points of his own, and contributed five steals.

Demetrius Lilley provided a bright spot for the Bearcats, posting a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds.

How the Game was Decided
Syracuse set the tone early against the Bearcats, starting the game on a 20-4 run over the first 13 minutes. George and Freeman led the way over the stretch, each scoring six points during the spurt.

The Orange were stingy defensively, holding the Bearcats to .181 (2-of-11) shooting while forcing 11 turnovers in the early going. Syracuse capitalized on the Bearcats' offensive miscues, scoring 14 points off turnovers during the opening half. Meanwhile, the Orange saw four different players record at least four points during the dominating stretch.

Dominating Defense
The Orange limited the Bearcats to 15-of-45 (.333) from the field, including 1-of-13 (.077) on 3-point tries. The outcome represented the first time Syracuse held an opponent under 50 points since the Orange kept Northeastern to 48 during the 2022-23 season.

Syracuse set the tone early, with Freeman recording a block on the second Bearcat possession of the game. Following the block, the Orange forced a turnover on five consecutive Binghamton possessions.

The Orange's defensive dominance in the first half limited Binghamton to just 14 points, the fewest Syracuse had allowed in an opening half since holding Boston College to 13 in January 2020. The Bearcats struggled against the Syracuse pressure, shooting .250 (4-of-20) from the field and .125 (1-of-8) from beyond the arc in the opening half.

Welcome to the JMA Wireless Dome
A number of newcomers made their regular season debut at the JMA Wireless Dome and made immediate impacts. William Kyle III had 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field. Kiyan Anthony posted 15 points off the bench and added three boards and three assists.

Tyler Betsey finished with 10 points in his home debut, giving the Orange five players with double-digit points.

Notable Numbers

Monday's contest opened Syracuse's 124th basketball season.
Syracuse opened the game with 10 straight points, its best start to a regular season opener since a 13-0 run to begin the 2008-09 season against Le Moyne.
The Orange grabbed the game's first six rebounds.
Binghamton produced just .424 points per possession in Syracuse's dominant opening half.
Eight different members of the Syracuse roster made its way into the scoring column.
Syracuse had a 24-4 advantage on points off of turnovers.
The Orange outscored the Bearcats in the paint, 54-28.
The Bearcats did not record a single steal during the game.
Syracuse grabbed 11 offensive boards, which led to 15 second-chance points.

Up Next
The Orange will be back at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday, November 8^th when Syracuse welcomes Delaware State. The tilt with the Hornets is set for a 1:00 p.m. tip and will stream on ACC Network Extra.

Tickets
Season and individual tickets are available at cuse.com/feature/basketball-tickets

For complete coverage of Syracuse men's basketball, follow the team on X (@Cuse_MBB) and Instagram (cuse_mbb).

Gallery: (11-4-2025) MBB vs Binghamton