3 standout players from Syracuse's 76-66 exhibition win over Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Syracuse men’s basketball fans were given a first peek at their new squad Saturday night at KeyBank Center, where SU took on the University of Buffalo in an exhibition game.

The Orange jumped ahead in the opening minutes and never relinquished their lead as their newcomers showed promise throughout the contest.

Here are the three new players who stood out most in SU’s 76-66 win over the Buffalo:

Kiyan Anthony

Since he announced his commitment to Syracuse back on Nov. 15, 2024, SU fans had been eagerly waiting to see what Kiyan Anthony could do once he took the court in an Orange uniform. That moment finally came Saturday, as Anthony made his long-awaited debut off the bench against the Bulls.

Though he managed just four points in the first half, Anthony’s impact during the frame was mostly felt on defense, as he helped force Buffalo into multiple turnovers to send SU the other way. Despite falling into three turnovers himself, the son of SU great Carmelo Anthony finished with 10 points behind a 4-for-7 mark from field-goal range and a 2-for-4 mark from beyond the arc.

“It makes me feel great just to know that the fanbase is behind me. I’m looking forward to going back to the Dome and playing a scrimmage game at home,” Anthony said postgame.

Tyler Betsey

Last season at Cincinnati, Tyler Betsey never shied away from trying long-range shots. Playing in all but one game that year for the Bearcats, he served primarily as an outside threat and attempted over 70% of his shots from distance. Based on his showing in Buffalo, he’s clearly brought that same mentality with him to SU.

In the first half, Betsey nailed both of his three-pointers out of the gate and tacked on an additional two-point field goal to boot. The towering 6’ 8” forward sank one more three out of the break and used his size to help SU cling to its advantage down the stretch. Betsey also scored a team-high 14 points — propelled by his perfect 3-for-3 mark from three.

“We’d like to get more three (attempts) than 22, because I think this team has a really good ability to make shots. We’ve got to do a better job at that.” SU head coach Adrian Autry said.

Naithan George

Another one of SU’s six additions out of the transfer portal this offseason, Naithan George made his first appearance in SU’s starting lineup and continued to do what he did best during his stint at Georgia Tech: dish out assists. Last campaign as a sophomore, he served as one of the Yellow Jackets’ prime distributors with 221 total helpers — the fifth-most the program had ever seen by a player in a single season.

Syracuse relied on George to bring that trait to its lineup, and the Toronto-native didn’t disappoint. His six assists marked not only a team-high, but also stood as the most of any player Saturday night. Besides helping his teammates score points, George collected plenty of his own through free throws, finishing the evening with a 6-for-8 mark from the charity stripe. As with any debut, however, George’s outing wasn’t without its hiccups. His four turnovers were the most of any SU player, epitomizing a contest that saw the Orange cough up the ball 17 times.

“Really just how fast that we can play,” George said on what surprised him most about his team’s game. “In the first couple minutes we were playing really fast. That’s the goal, and that’s what I wanted to do coming here."

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