Syracuse University is putting the final touches on a schedule that will see the Orange open the season with a high‑profile game at Madison Square Garden against St. John's, ending a five‑year absence from the iconic venue.
The matchup will be the 96th meeting between the two programs, a rivalry that stretches back to 1901 and has produced countless memorable moments.
A Milestone in a Storied Rivalry
The last time the two teams faced off at the Garden was in 2015, when St. John's secured a victory, and the upcoming contest will attempt to rewrite that narrative.
Beyond the historic significance, the non‑conference slate is deliberately varied, featuring contests against both nationally ranked squads and programs that sit lower in the preseason polls, giving the Orange a chance to test different styles early in the year.
Adding intrigue, the game will pit two former Syracuse assistants against each other: Gerry McNamara, now a rising head coach, and Donnie Freeman, who returns to the sidelines after a stint in the professional ranks. McNamara has expressed a clear ambition to make Madison Square Garden an annual stop for the Orange, turning the venue into a regular fixture on the team's calendar.
Fans on both coasts are already marking their calendars, anticipating a night of electric atmosphere, historic pageantry, and a renewed chapter in a rivalry that has defined East Coast college basketball for more than a century.