Syracuse falls in OT, Pitt & 'Cuse Advance to ACC Tourney

The final game of the 2025-26 regular season for the Syracuse Orange and Pittsburgh Panthers on the men's basketball stage pitted the two longtime rivals against one another for their 129th match-up.

Syracuse came in leading the all-time series 76-52.

The Orange also won the most recent contest by a score of 83-72 on the road at "The Pete" in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, earlier this season on Saturday, January 10, 2026.

In this chapter of their rivalry, Pittsburgh got out to an 11-4 start on Syracuse.

Redshirt-senior guard Nate Kingz nailed a three to try and bring life to the Orange, making it 11-7 Panthers.

At the first media timeout which came on a Pittsburgh turnover at the 12:44 mark, the Panthers led 16-9.

Kingz scored immediately out of this break, on a layup that brought the score to 16-11 Pittsburgh.

Two free throws by junior guard Naithan George got the Orange within two possessions, 20-15.

A three-pointer by George would shrink the Syracuse deficit to two, 24-22, at the 5:31 mark and sophomore forward Donnie Freeman would tie the game with two free throws with 4:43 to go in the opening half.

However, Panthers' senior guard/forward Barry Dunning, Jr., went to the rim on back-to-back possessions to roll Pittsburgh back ahead, this time at 28-24.

Freeman and George would team up to tie the game for Syracuse once again, this time on a jumper by Freeman followed by two made free throws by George to make it 28-all.

George would connect from long range to follow, with a three by the one-minute mark to give the Orange their first lead, 31-28, since beginning the game 2-0. This score would stand at the half.

Inside 13:30 to go in the game, Panthers' graduate guard Damarco Minor seemed to clearly flop, untouched when shooting a three. The foul was called and Minor made all three freebies. A dunk by sophomore guard Nojus Indrusaitis would follow to move Pittsburgh ahead by double-digits, 45-35, with 12:55 remaining.

Later in the second half, it would be George and Freeman yet again, with a three by George and a layup by Freeman to make it a one-possession contest for Syracuse, down 49-47, with 7:41 to play.

Just inside six minutes remaining, a three by Orange sophomore forward Tyler Betsey tied the game at 52-all.

As the game approached the five-minute mark, Kingz brought the teams even once again, with his three for Syracuse to get the game to a 55-55 score.

With 3:20 left on the game clock, Pittsburgh and Syracuse came to their sixth tie of the second half, the sixth being from Pittsburgh senior forward Cameron Corhen for a score of 59-apiece.

George would gain the lead for the Orange with two free throws at the 3:04 mark, but Corhen made both of him and the teams were dead-locked again, at 61-all.

Dunning's three at the 1:37 mark put Pittsburgh up 65-63... and Freeman answered with two free throws, bringing about the eighth tie of the second half, 65-65.

Both teams got a good look, but neither fell through the net, and the game headed into overtime.

The Panthers and Orange would tie in the extra period at 67-67 and at 69-69.

With 1:57 to go, Dunning would miss both of his tries from the charity stripe, leaving the game at 69-apiece.

Indrusaitis drove to the basket inside 15 seconds to go and let the ball go. Syracuse senior forward William Kyle, III, went for the block and the officials ruled it goaltending on Kyle, making it 71-69 Panthers.

A shot by George with under five seconds remaining fell outside the net, resulting in a two-point loss for the Orange.

Pittsburgh improved to 12-19 overall and 5-13 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), while the loss moved Syracuse to a losing record overall at 15-16, and 6-12 in ACC play.

The victory for Pittsburgh keeps them in the upcoming ACC Tournament, while eliminating the Boston College Eagles.

Syracuse will also advance to the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Both teams will play in the first road of the conference tournament, which is on Tuesday, March 10th.