Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Syracuse reserve point guard Symir Torrence has reportedly entered the transfer portal, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello.

Torrence played two seasons for the Orange, coming off the bench for both, as a backup to Joe Girard III and Judah Mintz. He averaged 2.4 points and 11.2 minutes per game this season, slightly down from the 2.6 and 13.1 he averaged last season. Torrence, a Syracuse native who played with Girard and Buddy Boeheim for the City Rocks AAU team, previously transferred from Marquette to SU in 2021 after two seasons. 

Recruited as a 6-foot-3 combo guard, Torrence was a four-star recruit and the top player in New York in the 2020 recruiting class. He committed to Marquette over a handful of other schools which gave him an offer, including Syracuse, Virginia and Maryland. Torrence couldn’t get significant minutes with the Golden Eagles, though, averaging less than 13 minutes in his two seasons with the team. 

Torrence had one of his best games of the season in late January at Virginia Tech, when he notched eight points, five rebounds and two steals over 15 minutes as the Orange tried to come back from a double-digit deficit. The guard also recorded a season-high 10 points in the season-opener against Lehigh, and registered at least 20 minutes in three of SU’s first six games. But from there, as freshmen Justin Taylor and Quadir Copeland progressed, Torrence’s minutes slipped again, and he only topped 15 again twice. 

Torrence became a significant factor for Syracuse at the end of last season, particularly in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. He totaled 29 and 40 minutes, respectively, in Syracuse’s two games against Florida State and Duke, taking on a larger role after Buddy was suspended for punching an FSU player. Torrence had seven points, 11 assists and six rebounds in SU’s season-ending loss to the Blue Devils. 

Syracuse landed Notre Dame guard JJ Starling from the transfer portal earlier on Tuesday. It’s still unknown if Girard and Mintz will return to SU next season or begin their professional careers, though Torrence’s minutes with the Orange were expected to be limited again. Taylor, who said last Wednesday he will return to Syracuse, is expected to move the shooting guard position next season, and Copeland could return, too.

Published on March 14, 2023 at 5:21 pm

Contact Connor: csmith49@syr.edu | @csmith17_