At ACC Tipoff, Syracuse basketball focused on making NCAA Tournament

Head coach Adrian Autry and returning starters J.J. Starling and Donnie Freeman represented the Orange Tuesday in Charlotte. The trio spoke glowingly of a roster full of talent, that is aiming to get the program back to where it belongs - a date in March Madness.

October 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Syracuse basketball coach Adrian Autry speaks with the media Tuesday on Day 2 of ACC Tipoff at the Uptown Hilton Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Brad Bierman, The Juice Online-On SI / | Brad Bierman, The Juice Online-On SI

It was a whirlwind Tuesday for the Syracuse basketball traveling party. The group flew into Charlotte in the morning, and spent a few hours making the media rounds at the Tipoff event. There was a lot of meeting and greeting, time for some quick chow, a few more interviews, then back to the airport for an evening flight home.

Optimism and excitement were among the buzzwords repeated often by the group, as Autry calmly (at least publicly) gears up for his critical third season, with a return to March Madness the only end result that will be acceptable.

The new-look Orange feature size, athleticism, and versatility

Don't take our word for it, the coach and players repeated the roster overhaul theme when asked about the 11 new additions to Starling and Freeman, a new starting lineup, and players that can play multiple spots on the floor.

"When we built this team we wanted to get bigger. We wanted to get quicker. Those are the things, and obviously you maintain your skills, your shooting, and stuff like that," Autry said when asked about the obvious differences between this year's team and last season.

"We needed to get bigger and quicker overall as a program, increase our athleticism and postional size," Autry continued. Our guards, they're all 6'3" to 6'5"; wings 6'6" to 6'8", 6'9". In our frontcourt we go up to 7-feet. We just wanted to be bigger and stronger and more versatile."

Donnie Freeman is back from injury, and he is better than ever

The sophomore power forward missed 18 games last season after injuring his leg in January. After a strenuous summer of rehab and intense workouts with his teammates in August, Freeman is ready to resume his role as an inside scorer and rebounder on both ends of the floor.

"Mentally and physically it was tough," Freeman admitted. "Having everything that you worked for be stripped from you (by injury) in that short period of time, and not knowing how you're going to feel when you comeback, it's tough. But I feel better now than even before I got injured, so I am excited to get back out there."

And so is Orange Nation, envisioning a return to height, length. and athleticism from the frontcourt of Freeman, frosh Sadiq White, and transfer centers William Kyle and Ibrahim Souare. Freeman also praised transfer forward Tyler Betsey.

"I think a lot of people are sleeping on him (Betsey)," Freeman said. "But he'll wake up a lot of people."

A proud alum is ready for the pressure-packed seat on the sideline

In year three after succeeding his college coach and legend Jim Boeheim, Autry has cleared out the outside noise, because he knows better than anyone what is at stake this season.

He rebuilt his roster in the mode he desired to suit his coaching. He made hard decisions on some staff changes, toyed around with some scheduling changes, and is ready to let the chips fall where they may.

"I feel confident, I feel calm, and I feel excited," Autry replied when we asked him about his mental makeup heading into the season.

"I am excited for this group, as a coach I am very confident with this group, and I am calm as a coach of this group."