Syracuse to play Houston, Kansas at Players Era Championship in Las Vegas

Syracuse will face Houston and Kansas in the 2025 Players Era’s Championship in November, the school announced on Monday.

The Orange will face off against Houston on Nov. 24, with Kansas to follow the next day on Nov. 25. SU will play one more game on either Nov. 26 or 27 depending on the outcome of the initial round of games.

Other teams involved in the championship includes Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Creighton, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers, St. John’s, San Diego State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and UNLV.

A look at the Houston Cougars

On the first game, Syracuse will face off against Houston, who was the runner-up in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. SU has faced the Cougars twice in school history, with the teams splitting the games.

They first matched up on Dec. 11, 1982, with the Orange winning, 92-87. They last played in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, with Houston eliminating the Orange in the Sweet 16 round, 62-46.

The Cougars went 35-5 in the 2024-25 season. Head coach Kelvin Sampson led the Cougars to the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles. They are led by returning Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player, Emanuel Sharp.

A look at the Kansas Jayhawks

On Nov. 27, Syracuse will play Kansas, who have faced each other six times in school history.

The teams first faced off in 1968, with the Jayhawks dominating the Orangemen, 71-41. Kansas also has won the most recent matchup between the two teams, a 76-60 win, on Dec. 2, 2017.

Syracuse’s most significant win against the Jayhawks came in the 2003 National Title game, with the Orange winning 81-78 in New Orleans. Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points and added 10 rebounds and Gerry McNamara chipped in 18 points in the win, which to date is SU’s only national championship.

The Jayhawks went 21-13 in the 2024-25 season and made the NCAA Tournament. They have added transfers transfers Melvin Council Jr. (St. Bonaventure), Jayden Dawson (Loyola-Chicago), and Tre White (Illinois).

A look at the Syracuse Orange

Syracuse is returning their top two scorers from the 2024-25 season, including senior guard JJ Starling (17.8 ppg) and sophomore forward Donnie Freeman (13.4 ppg).

The Orange have also retooled by bringing in the 19th overall incoming high school class according to 247 Sports. The class is headlined by Kiyan Anthony, son of Syracuse great Carmelo Anthony, and the No. 26 overall prospect in the 2025 class, Sadiq White.

Immediately prior to the tournament, Syracuse will play a tune-up game against Saint Joseph’s on Nov. 22 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Syracuse’s non-conference schedule does not slow down, with the Orange returning home on Dec. 2 to match up against Tennessee in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

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