Syracuse needs a hard look at what is not clicking right now, as the Orange appear stuck in disarray. The stretch feels uncomfortably familiar, reflecting last season’s pattern of alternating wins and losses. Even at the non-conference stage, the uneven play is underwhelming, especially for a program shaped by Syracuse legend Jim Boeheim.

“You can still recruit, but at the end of the day, you got to be able to come really close money-wise or your not getting somebody,” Boeheim said.

“They probably need $20 million-$22 million, and basketball needs $10 million,” said the Special Assistant to the Athletic Director Jim Boeheim on a podcast with Ashley Wenskoski, highlighting a strong need for Syracuse to inject more funds into the program.

“I don’t know. I’m not involved. I know that’s what I see from being around, talking to coaches and people in the game. That’s roughly where it’s going to, they’re trying to limit it by this, this board that’s going to review things, but sure. I don’t think that’ll work.”

Who knows, perhaps the added funding can finally trigger a reset. Syracuse basketball has enjoyed far better days under Jim Boeheim, and the gap between past standards and the present is becoming harder to ignore. The foundation still exists, but the program no longer carries the same edge, leaving the Orange searching for stability. However, effort is not the issue.

Close losses to Houston (78-74 OT), Kansas (71-60), and Hofstra (70-69) highlight a team that competes until the end. What is missing is an execution in crunch time. Repeated late-game breakdowns, combined with Kiyan Anthony’s limited impact, have stalled any real momentum.

Anthony, who is the most expensive player on the roster with a NIL valuation of $1.1M+, has found it hard to play his best with an average of 10.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and a FG% of 42.4. So he will need to up the ante.

The other players on the team, like William Kyle III (10.4), Nate Kingz (10.2), and JJ Starling (10.0), are also performing, but not at a level where they would look competitive. As a result, the rankings and NIL valuation of the team have become stagnant.

The team’s estimated current NIL value is at best, on a $1.5M- 2M range at best; however, even Boeheim couldn’t authenticate it for certain.

While these are off-court issues that the management at Syracuse will have to deal with, there are many holes in Syracuse’s on-court game that will have to be fixed soon before it gets too late. And the one who can do it right now is Kiyan Anthony’s coach, Adrian Autry himself.

Another player under pressure as Syracuse searches for answers

Adrian Autry is in his third year as a coach for Syracuse, and things haven’t been easy. The former point guard has done an “okayish” job for the club during this period. Yes, comparisons cannot be drawn between him and his legendary predecessor, Jim Boeheim, because he is still fresh, but there is room for improvement.

His first year as a head coach was still better, and he finished with a 20/12 W-L ratio overall and 11/9 in the conference. The second year saw him going 14-19 overall in the W-L stats and 7/13 in the conference with a 14th-place finish. For every match they win, they lose another, which takes away the momentum.

Look at how they beat Tennessee (62-60), but then went down against a lesser team like Hofstra. Autry is trying, but in the professional world of the NCAA, it all narrows down to results, and there is not much to show for it till now. Three seasons without an NCAA invite for Autry could also mean that this year could very well be deemed as his final “strike” year for the school. That again might seem a little harsh, but college basketball is cutthroat.

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Time is of the essence here, and the sand clock is ticking in the JMA Wireless Dome. Things need to change, and that too fast, because if it doesn’t, it could very well open doors for a new possible head coach for Kiyan Anthony and Co.