Syracuse basketball hung tough against a good Clemson team on Wednesday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome, but the Orange couldn't quite get over the hump.
The Tigers, inside the top 40 of the NCAA NET rankings, presented the 'Cuse with a quadrant-two opportunity in the Orange's Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Syracuse basketball struggled from the field, although it was excellent from the charity stripe, but too many turnovers and a large deficit in paint points doomed the 'Cuse on New Year's Eve.
In his return after only playing in four games to date during the 2025-26 season, sophomore power forward Donnie Freeman was rusty in the first half, but after the intermission, he exploded for 18 points and nine boards to lead the Orange in both categories, but Clemson prevailed, 64-61.