Syracuse Basketball Steamrolls Delaware State: Freeman, Anthony Headline 83–43 Rout

Syracuse basketball delivered a statement in its second outing of the season, throttling Delaware State 83–43 at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday. A fast start, smothering defense, and efficient shot-making turned the matchup into a showcase for the Orange’s new-look rotation—highlighted by a career-first start for freshman Kiyan Anthony and a commanding two-way performance from Donnie Freeman.

Delaware State vs Syracuse: How the game was won

Syracuse set the tone from the opening tip with full-court heat and ball-pressure traps that forced hurried decisions and off-rhythm shots. A 10–0 first-half run cracked the game open, and the Orange never let the Hornets breathe from there, sprinting to a 40–17 halftime lead. After the break, another 15–1 surge erased any doubt and let Syracuse lean into depth and pace control.

On the other end, Delaware State’s offense never found footing. The Hornets were funnelled into late-clock heaves and tough paint looks, finishing at 21.5% from the field and 1-for-14 from three. Second-chance and transition chances were scarce; Syracuse swallowed the glass, secured outlets, and pushed.

Syracuse basketball standouts

• Donnie Freeman (20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists): The freshman forward mixed face-ups with decisive cuts, thriving against single coverage and punishing switches.

• Kiyan Anthony (19 points in his first career start): Slotted into the lineup with veteran poise, he knocked down spot-ups, attacked closeouts, and showed early chemistry in two-man actions.

• William Kyle III (8 points, 13 rebounds, 6 blocks, 4 assists): A defensive eraser. Kyle controlled the lane, altered everything at the rim, and jump-started transition with quick outlets.

• Sadiq White Jr. (10 points): Provided vertical pop and off-ball activity that stretched Delaware State’s back line.

Syracuse’s efficiency popped across the board: 58% shooting overall and 38% from three, with a heavy diet of paint touches and cut-back finishes. The Orange also dominated “extra possessions,” converting turnovers and long rebounds into 25 points off giveaways and a decisive fast-break edge.

Context and rotation notes

Top scorer JJ Starling was held out (injury management), which nudged Anthony into the starting five and recalibrated usage for the wings. The change didn’t blunt Syracuse’s rhythm; if anything, the ball moved with added purpose. The staff leaned on pressure defense to manufacture offense, then toggled between five-out looks and traditional high ball screens, depending on Delaware State’s coverage.

The interior pairing of Freeman and Kyle gave the Orange a clean structure: one spacer/playmaker in the short corners and dunker spot, one vertical menace at the rim. That balance created lanes for guards to probe, kick, and keep the Hornets in rotation.

Delaware State takeaways

The Hornets arrived intent on slowing tempo and protecting the paint, but early turnovers and missed open looks forced them to chase. The half-court defense held for stretches, yet Syracuse’s second-phase actions—relocations, slips, and baseline drives—eventually cracked the shell. With perimeter shots not falling, Delaware State struggled to generate the type of run that could test the lead.

Key numbers at a glance

• Score: Syracuse 83, Delaware State 43

• Halftime: Syracuse 40, Delaware State 17

• Field goals: Syracuse 58% | Delaware State 21.5%

• 3-point shooting: Syracuse 38% | Delaware State 7% (1-for-14)

• Blocks: Syracuse 9 (Kyle 6)

• Points off turnovers: Syracuse 25

• Paint points / Fast break: Syracuse +27 combined margin

What it means for Syracuse basketball

Two games in, the Orange look notably longer, faster, and more connected defensively. The rim protection and defensive rebounding from Kyle, married to Freeman’s versatility, give Syracuse a foundation that travels. Offensively, the emergence of Anthony as a confident spacer and secondary creator widens the shot map—especially valuable while Starling ramps back.

The broader theme is identity: pressure defense into organized transition, then patient half-court possessions built on paint touches and purposeful spacing. Against Delaware State, that blueprint produced both volume and quality of shots while keeping minutes manageable across the rotation.

What’s next

The win moves Syracuse to 2–0, with a home date up next in the in-season event slate. Maintaining the defensive standard—particularly closeouts and verticality—will be the carryover point, along with continued growth in late-clock execution. If health cooperates and the wing rotation keeps producing clean catch-and-shoot looks, the Orange will enter their next test with momentum and options.

Syracuse didn’t just beat Delaware State—it authored a comprehensive defensive performance that spotlighted the program’s freshman core. With Freeman controlling the middle, Anthony announcing himself in his first start, and Kyle patrolling the paint, the Orange turned an early November game into a convincing thesis about who they intend to be.