The Syracuse Orange have reportedly scheduled a fourth high-profile non-conference game in an NBA arena. Per CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, Syracuse is working to finalize a deal with Rutgers to play at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
SU has played inside the Barclays Center multiple times, most recently in 2024-25, when it went 0-3 against Texas, Texas Tech, and Maryland.
Rutgers, led by 11th-year head coach Steve Pikiell, went 14-20 last season and 6-14 in the Big Ten. It finished 125th in KenPom, the lowest since Pikiell’s second season. It marked the program’s third consecutive losing season after four winning seasons in a row.
The Scarlet Knights have played games recently at Madison Square Garden as part of the Big Ten’s “Super Saturday” series, but this trip to Barclays will be the program’s first.
Having multiple games in the New York market is important for Gerry McNamara in his first season as he builds up the Orange program. Although the Garden is his priority, he’ll embrace the game at Barclays this season.
“You mention the Garden. That’s somewhere I want to play. I want to play there almost every year,” McNamara said. “We’ve been to Barclays a lot but the Garden to me is important.”
Syracuse will play an exhibition game against Niagara at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, and are in talks to face Siena in an exhibition at MVP Arena as well, per reports.
More details on the Orange schedule will come.