Syracuse basketball is struggling. John Wildhack, the athletic director, stopped sugarcoating it and said it straight: the Orange need to win or they won’t make the tournament again. Wildhack’s message was clear after four years without March Madness and a shocking home loss to Hofstra.

Wildhack talked about the fallout from Syracuse’s shocking 70-69 home loss to Hofstra on Tuesday. “You can’t lose to Hofstra. No disrespect. That’s a bad loss,” Wildhack said, before pivoting to the path forward. “The most important thing now is we have so many opportunities ahead of us in terms of Quad 1, Quad 2 wins. Getting Donnie Freeman back is going to be absolutely critical.” He concluded with a statement that encapsulated the entire reality facing the program: “If we win games, everything is going to take care of itself.”

This loss to Hofstra is the kind that makes you lose hope in the tournament. Hofstra had just beaten Pittsburgh 80-73, so losing 70-69 at home to a mid-level team hurts more. Cruz Davis scored 22 points, and German Plotnikov hit the game-winning shot with 34 seconds left. J.J. Starling’s 15 points for Syracuse weren’t enough. Wildhack said it was a bad loss, which is something everyone knows: Syracuse can’t afford to make these mistakes. Wins and losses now mean everything against weaker opponents.

Wildhack’s comments are about more than just one loss. He admitted that Syracuse’s recent history is true and said without hesitation, “Last year is last year. It wasn’t good. No excuses.” He continued with brutal honesty: “We’re 9-4, we’ve got 18 conference games, and it’s up to us to go out and compete and win the games we need to win. If we do that, the fans will be happy, and the program will be in a good place.” Most damning of all, he summed up the entire season philosophy: “You are what your record is.”

Wildhack’s message is very clear: the program has run out of excuses. Four years in a row, Syracuse has missed the NCAA Tournament. This is unthinkable for a program that used to be built on March success. The 9-4 record is not what it seems. Eight of the wins were against teams that weren’t very good. Tennessee is the only real win.

John Wildhack and Syracuse face the Dome’s empty seats problem

Syracuse now has to deal with the harsh reality of empty seats. The Dome, which used to be full of excited Orange fans, is now empty. Wildhack said something shocking: Syracuse had less than 14,000 fans for five games in a row, which hadn’t happened since 1980–81. It’s not just losing on the court that is a problem. Fans are leaving, and they’re voting with their feet.

The numbers tell a terrible story. This season, there are an average of 15,594 fans at each game, down from 18,888 last year. That’s a huge drop that goes beyond just empty seats. Wildhack said there were problems with scheduling: “We’ve had two 9 p.m. starts, weeknights. I don’t like those at all. We’ve got two more. I don’t like that, and I’ve conveyed that to the conference. That impacts attendance.”

“You always want your building to be energized and loud. The Tennessee game was great… But some of it is that fans are somewhat disappointed at where we are.”

The attendance crisis shows how bad things are in Syracuse. Empty arenas mean losing records. The program can’t get back on track without big crowds and tournament wins.

Top Stories

Cowboys Fire Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus: Contract, Salary, NFL Earnings & More

Ross Chastain Labels NASCAR Driver “The Most Punchable Face” to Excuse Himself Over Punchgate Controversy

10 Biggest NFL Draft Busts of the Last Decade, Including Trey Lance and Justin Fields

Andy Reid Sets Record Straight on Travis Kelce’s Chiefs Future As Retirement Question Continue to Mount

Commissioner Steve Phelps Quits NASCAR Days After Getting Exposed in Lawsuit Trial

Arman Tsarukyan Back in Play as Justin Gaethje Staph Infection Rumors Causes Fan Panic Before Paddy Pimblett Fight