Just days after announcing a non-conference showdown with Colgate, the Syracuse men’s basketball team has announced another non-conference matchup with an in-state foe. The Orange announced a matchup with Canisius of the MAAC on Monday.
Syracuse will play against Canisius on Dec. 16 at the JMA Wireless Dome. This will be just the fourth time that the schools have faced off in the last 15 years.
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Canisius struggled last season, finishing with a 10-21 overall record. Despite winning just 10 games, the total more than tripled the program’s win total from the ’24-25 season.
Following a 3-28 record that year, Canisius fired coach Reggie Witherspoon to hire current head coach Jim Christian. Christian will lead this year’s roster into the game in December. Canisius has not qualified for the NCAA tournament since 1996.
It will not be the first time Gerry McNamara has coached against Canisius. As the former head coach of the Siena Saints, McNamara faced off against the Golden Griffins four times as fellow members of the newly renamed Metro Conference. McNamara’s Saints won three of the four matchups in his two seasons. The lone loss was a 93-88 home loss in Feb. 2025.
Based in Buffalo, an about two hours from Syracuse’s campus, Canisius played the Orange for the first time in 1945. Since the first matchup, the schools have played a total of 70 more times, with the Orange holding a 47-24 series advantage. Syracuse has won 22 consecutive matchups, with the Golden Griffins last win coming in 1975.
Canisius now joins a list of confirmed times and dates so far for the upcoming Orange basketball season. Other confirmed games and dates include:
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–The team’s first home regular season game will be against New Haven on Nov. 2
–The Orange will also play Central Connecticut State later that week, at home, on Nov. 5.
–A game inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis against Indiana on Nov. 9.
–As a part of the ACC/SEC Challenge, the host will take on Oklahoma on Dec 1.
–Syracuse will host Colgate on Dec. 8.
–In a revival of an old BIG EAST matchup, the Orange will play Providence in Boston at the TD Garden on Dec. 19.
An announced game against St. John’s plus all conference games dates and times have yet to be confirmed.
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