The Syracuse men's basketball team and St. John's renewing their men's basketball rivalry has been a widely discussed topic over the course of the past few months.

New Orange head coach Gerry McNamara mentioned months ago that he wanted to   return to Madison Square Garden, and this week, the two teams were announced as playing on Nov. 15 this season.

As a player, McNamara, helped lead Syracuse to a conference tournament championship in that building during a legendary run in 2006. The Orange entered the tournament as a No. 9 seed and won four games in four days to clinch an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The McNamara-led Orange became the first team in Big East tournament history to win four games in four days, and still remain as the lowest seed ever to win the Big East Tournament. (UConn matched the feat in 2011.)   

McNamara will hope to recapture some of that matchup when his team takes on St. John's this season.

Now that the details have been confirmed, Nov. 15 will be the most important game played for McNamara and his team in 2026. 

Here's why:

Storylines involving Syracuse and St. John's basketball

The schools had a strong rivalry during their times as members of the Big East Conference, and over the past two years, the Red Storm have rebuilt themselves back up into a solid program, making the NCAA Tournament both years.

Syracuse is hoping to end the school's longest NCAA Tournament drought ever, as the Orange haven't made the tournament since 2021.

Two former Syracuse players have joined the St. John's roster for the upcoming season. Kyle Cuffe is a Harlem, N.Y. native who signed on with Rick Pitino this offseason. Cuffe spent two seasons in Central New York, logging a total of 59 games. Under then-head coach Adrian Autry, Cuffe averaged 4.2 points per game.

Donnie Freeman is the other former Orange player on the Red Storm roster. Freeman, who was the best player on the Orange for the last two seasons, is unlikely to play in 2026-27 after suffering an injury earlier this year. 

The Red Storm are led by Pitino, a Hall of Fame coach. The current head coach of St. John's served as a former assistant at Syracuse from 1976-78. 

The last time Syracuse played St. John's in Madison Square Garden was in Dec. 2015. Although St. John's grabbed the win 84-72, some fans may remember the game because of former SU head coach Jim Boeheim not being on the sidelines, as he served a suspension from the NCAA.

Why is Syracuse vs St. John's is most important game in 2026? 

Is Syracuse still the top men's college basketball program in New York State? Do high school players competing in the Empire State still view Syracuse as a better option than St. John's?

Those are the questions that are now a part of this renewed rivalry. An impressive win over the Red Storm could help shift the claim of New York's best college basketball team back in favor of Syracuse. Plus, a win over St. John's could serve as a strong resume builder for a potential NCAA tournament selection.

As a result, this is the biggest game of the season for the Orange, at least in the non-conference.

Remember, 2026... not 2027

To the point above: This is the most important game of 2026, but the majority of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) schedule will be played in 2027, meaning that there are going to be other more important games this season.

What's next for McNamara and the Orange?

The Orange will host Media Day on Friday. Syracuse Roundtable will be on site with conversations with coaches and players from the event.