The Syracuse Orange (2-0) men’s basketball team is set to face the Drexel Dragons this Saturday at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be streamed exclusively on Peacock. Syracuse enters the contest with a 4-1 all-time record against Drexel.
The Orange are coming off dominant victories over Binghamton and Delaware State to open the 2025-26 season. Freshman Kiyan Anthony, son of NBA Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, has been a standout performer, exceeding high expectations by averaging 17 points on 66.7% shooting through his first two games.
In the win against Delaware State, Anthony made his first collegiate start and scored 19 points on 11 shots. He stepped into the lineup for senior J.J. Starling, who is currently day-to-day with a right leg injury. Starling, who led the team in scoring last season with 17.8 points per game, is expected to reclaim his starting role upon returning to health.
The game against Drexel is being played at a neutral site as part of a deliberate scheduling strategy. It marks the first time since the 2006-07 season that Syracuse has played an unranked, non-power conference opponent in a road environment. The venue was selected because it will host first- and second-round games of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The team employed a similar strategy during the preseason, playing at KeyBank Arena in Buffalo, another tournament site.
“I just felt like it’s something that sends a good message to our team and our fans that, hey, this is what we’re trying to do,” said Syracuse coach Adrian Autry.
For fans in New York, state regulations prohibit betting on in-state collegiate teams.
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