It was another blowout for the Orange, as @Cuse_MBB avoided the swarm in an 83-43 win over @DSUMBB.@adamhipsky and @NickEv610 had the call from the JMA Wireless Dome. pic.twitter.com/nesboMED8V
— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) November 8, 2025
Syracuse men’s basketball (2-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) rolled past Delaware State (0-2, 0-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) 83-43 on Tuesday night — the biggest win of the Adrian Autry era.
The Orange never trailed and have yet to be behind for a single minute through the first two games of the season.
SU came out flying and dominated the first half 40-17. Through the opening 11 minutes, the Orange led 24-9 and held the Hornets to just 2-of-14 shooting. The main spark on offense was forward Donnie Freeman, who tallied 13 first-half points and finished with 20 — his second straight game reaching that mark.
“I thought Donnie was terrific,” head coach Adrian Autry said. “Defensively we really got after it. I thought we had some great possessions, we communicated, and made them take tough shots.”
Syracuse’s defense was relentless from start to finish, holding Delaware State to under 22% shooting — the lowest field goal percentage by an opponent since the 2014–15 season, when SU limited Loyola to 19.2%. The Orange have given up just 90 total points across their first two games, the fewest in an opening two-game stretch since that same 2014–15 campaign.
Forward William Kyle was the key on defense. The UCLA transfer set a career high with six blocks — the most by a Syracuse player in two years — while anchoring the paint on both ends.
“William Kyle was the man tonight,” Autry said. “He really set the tone on the offensive glass and the defensive glass, and that’s exactly what we need from him.”
The Orange offense matched the defensive energy, shooting 64% from the field in the second half and nearly 60% for the game. Freeman, Kyle and freshman Kiyan Anthony each recorded four assists, showcasing SU’s balanced attack.
Anthony, who made his first collegiate start, finished with 19 points. The freshman has now scored 34 points across his first two games in orange.
A little push wouldn't stop @Cuse_MBB guard Kiyan Anthony. @NickEv610 described tough layup for the freshman.
— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) November 8, 2025
📻@waer883, https://t.co/BG0Q3sGq3P pic.twitter.com/GbqZVfm6NR
“He’s a really good basketball player,” Autry said. “He can pass, he can score, he can make plays. I thought him getting to the rim aggressively really set the tone.”
Syracuse now has a week off before traveling to Philadelphia to face Drexel (1-1, 0-0 Coastal Athletic Association) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.