Biggest Takeaways From Syracuse’s Exhibition Thriller Sunday Against Siena

The Orange escaped with an 81-76 exhibition win over Siena, giving Gerry McNamara another look at the strengths and weaknesses of his new roster.

Oct 7, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Syracuse Orange Gavin Doty (4) answers questions from the media during the ACC Tip-Off in Charlotte, NC. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Syracuse recorded its first (unofficial) victory of the Gerry McNamara era, beating his old-coached team, Siena, 81-76, in a game Sunday afternoon at MVP Arena in Albany, the Saints homecourt.

In the second of three exhibitions, the new-look Orange showed several encouraging signs while also revealing areas that still need work before the regular season begins.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Syracuse's win over Siena:

Gavin Doty 

The junior transfer returned against his old team and showed some promise.

Doty led the Orange in minutes (37) and points (20) and tied the team in rebounds with eight. Despite shooting 4-for-15 from the field and 3-for-11 from three, he made his impact at the foul line.

Shooting 9-for-10 from the line and made two in the final nine seconds to go up by five. 

Doty led the Orange in their win over Siena, and they'll need him to keep leading if they want to return to March Madness. 

Mark Morano 

Former Slovenian-Liga pro player made his impact in his first action of the season. 

Morano scored 18 points, shooting 6-for-9 from the field, 4-for-6 from three, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, and has become a reliable scorer for the Orange.

Although a freshman, Morano's professional experience at such a young age could make him a major impact for the Orange in his first season, with continued production like this, if given the opportunity. 

Defense 

Despite the win, the Orange defense was a mix of good and not-so-good. In the first half, the Orange forced 10 turnovers, forcing Siena to go 2-for-14 from three. 

However, Syracuse was down 39-38 at halftime and gave up 7 offensive rebounds, which led to 7 second-chance points. Siena also scored 30 of their 39 points in the paint.

Syracuse played better in the second half, controlled the game, didn't give up the lead, and won. But the Orange had 15 personal fouls, which kept Siena in the game when they otherwise wouldn’t have been. 

With a solid foundation on defense, fixing mistakes can make the Orange a tougher team to beat. 

Final Thoughts & What's Next

Syracuse's second exhibition gave McNamara and his staff another chance to evaluate the new-look Orange before the regular season.

There were positives, particularly from Doty and Morano, but defensive inconsistencies showed Syracuse still has plenty to clean up.

For a team still developing its identity under McNamara, the 81-76 win offered another look at what is working and what still needs improvement before the games begin to count.

Syracuse will play one more exhibition as they take on the Niagara Purple Eagles Saturday, October 24, at 3:00 p.m. ET at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo New York. 

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