Syracuse’s Autry benches Anthony in loss to No. 18 Virginia

Syracuse Coach Adrian Autry said it was his call to sit on the bench kian anthonyJoe is not injured and was available to play, lining up at number 18 for his team’s entire 72-59 loss Virginia On Saturday.

This was the first time that a freshman did not play a game for the Orange this season.

Autry said after the game, “No worries about the injury. It was just my decision.” “This is a physical team, an experienced team. It was just my decision. Nothing else.”

The move to keep the freshman on the bench came days after Kiyan’s father, Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony, posted “SMFH” on the team’s official Instagram page as part of highlights from Monday’s loss to North Carolina. Qian scored 10 points in that game.

Anthony, who led the team to the national title in 2003, is one of the program’s greatest players and is also a booster who founded the school’s men’s and women’s basketball practice facility, Carmelo K. Spent millions to help build the Anthony Basketball Center.

Kiyan, who averages 8.9 points per game, has had a tumultuous season filled with ups and downs. He committed to the team in 2024, more than two decades after his father led the team to a victory over the favored Kansas team in the national title game during his freshman season.

Syracuse has lost six of its last seven games as Autry, one of the greatest guards in Syracuse basketball history, has faced heated seat talk during his team’s slide.

As for Kien, Autry said the freshman’s benching was not tied to anything other than what was best for the team against a top-25 Virginia team.

“This is not a narrative about any of these things,” he said. “I just decided. It was my decision that I took today.”