
The ACC/SEC Challenge wasted no time producing its first upset on Tuesday night.
Despite losing all three of its games in last week's Players Era Festival, Syracuse bounced back with a 62-60 upset win over No. 13 Tennessee, its first time taking down the Volunteers since 1993.
With the game tied at 60, forward William Kyle III hit the go-ahead free throw with 13 seconds left and Tennessee freshman Nate Ament missed a potential game-tying layup attempt as time expired to seal the upset for the Orange.
The Orange relied on their defense to get their first signature victory of the season, forcing 17 Tennessee turnovers. Senior guard J.J. Starling forced this turnover from Ament and went coast-to-coast with a slam on the other end.
JJ cleared for takeoff
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) December 3, 2025
ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/RjMApQVsAu
On the next possession, Ament missed a three-point attempt and freshman forward Sadiq White Jr. made him pay with this jam off a lob from guard Naithan George.
Wayyyyy up to Sadiq!
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) December 3, 2025
ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/FudPQXArwM
Both teams shot below 50% from the floor and struggled from long-range with Syracuse only shooting 5-of-19. Freshman Kiyan Anthony, son of Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, gave the Orange a 50-41 lead with his lone three of the game just over eight minutes into the second half.
KIYAN CORNER THREE ️
— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) December 3, 2025
ESPN2 x @Cuse_MBB https://t.co/LTzotOzfYw pic.twitter.com/VAOxvzIpT3
Four of Syracuse's five starters scored in double-figures, led by senior guard Nate Kingz's 19 points (6-of-10 FG). Other than junior forward Jaylen Carey's team-high 22 points (10-of-16 FG) and nine rebounds off the bench, points were hard to come by for Tennessee's top-two scorers, Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Ament, who shot a combined 7-of-22 from the floor.
Syracuse only lost by four to then-No. 3 Houston, but did not have a signature win entering Tuesday night. With no NCAA Tournament appearances each of the last four seasons, it has been a struggle for the Orange.
If anything else, the upset win over Tennessee showed that this Syracuse team is capable of winning on the big stage. Considering the struggles of late, that has to give the program some confidence after finally putting a complete game together against a quality opponent.
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