☁️ Today’s Weather
Not a bad way to kick off the weekend, all things considered. Expect a bit of drizzle or a stray flurry early Saturday morning, but skies should gradually clear and let some sun peek through by afternoon, just in time if you're heading out to cheer on the SU women's basketball team or catch some live music. Highs around 46°F with a brisk northwest breeze in the morning that calms down nicely by evening, so once the afternoon rolls around, it's genuinely not bad out there.
🗞️ Top Stories
1. The SU Coaching Search Soap Opera Rolls On It's been over a week since Adrian Autry was shown the door, and the search for SU's next men's basketball head coach is officially in full swing under new Athletic Director Bryan Blair, who was formally introduced Thursday. With South Florida's Bryan Hodgson off the board as a candidate, attention has shifted to others. And speculation is growing that Gerry McNamara, the beloved former Orange star who just led Siena to the NCAA Tournament, could be the frontrunner. Blair has said he understands the magnitude of the moment, calling it "one of the best basketball programs in the entire nation," and promises a decision could come sooner than expected. Stay tuned, this one is going to dominate the group chats all weekend.
2. Westhill Warriors Cap a Perfect Season Give it up for the Westhill boys basketball team, who wrapped up a storybook season with a Class A state championship, finishing the year with a perfect record. Head coach Jon Connelly finally has his first state title after many years as an assistant to Kevin King, who led Westhill to five state championships of his own. For a program that had fallen short in the regional round the previous two seasons, this one was a long time coming, and the team earned every bit of it.
3. Aunt Rhonda Does It Again Syracuse's Valley Plaza is getting a pharmacy, and this one's a big deal. McKesson Corp. has selected the neighborhood for its second independent pharmacy project in the entire country, giving long-underserved residents on the south side access to healthcare close to home. It's exactly the kind of win that doesn't always make the front page but genuinely changes lives.
📅 Events
Monster Truck Wars — Sat. March 21 (12 PM & 6 PM) and Sun. March 22 (2 PM) at Toyota Coliseum in Binghamton. Drivers are meetable, things get loud, and kids go absolutely feral in the best way possible.
The Syracuse Orchestra: Symphonic Dances — Sat. March 21 at 7:30 PM at Crouse Hinds Theater. Iconic pieces in a gorgeous hall, and yes, you can technically do the monster trucks in Binghamton in the afternoon and still make this work. A tale of two CNY experiences.
Book of Mormon at the Landmark Theatre — Still running this weekend. The nine-time Tony Award-winning musical is in town and it is not for the faint of heart, but it's one of the funniest shows out there. Worth every penny.
Critz Farms Maple Syrup Celebration — Weekends March 20–April 4. Wagon rides, a sugar house tour, all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, and the tap room is open. This is peak CNY spring right here.
National Flower Day — Sat. March 21, 10 AM–12 PM at 217 S. Salina St. Fresh seasonal flowers grown right here in CNY, local farmers, warm beverages, and a few surprises for early arrivers. Low-key and lovely.
Syracuse Half Marathon — Sun. March 22, 7:30 AM start at the Oncenter. Thousands of runners hit the streets, with a post-race party featuring live music, hot food, and unlimited beverages. Whether you're running or just cheering on a friend, it's always a fun morning downtown.
🏀 Sports
Syracuse Orange Women's Basketball — Sat. March 21, 5:30 PM vs. Iowa State (NCAA Tournament, Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT). It's a first-round 8/9 matchup and the Orange (23-8) are absolutely capable of pulling this off against the Cyclones (22-9). Tune in and make some noise from your couch.
Syracuse Orange Men's Lacrosse — Sun. March 22, 1:00 PM vs. Georgetown. The Orange (7-2) face the Hoyas (3-3) in their first regular-season meeting since 2013. A little extra history there, should be a good one.
Syracuse Orange Women's Lacrosse — Sat. March 21, 2:00 PM at Virginia (Charlottesville). The Orange (6-3) take on the Cavaliers (5-5) in an ACC matchup and part of a men's/women's doubleheader at Scott Stadium.
Syracuse Crunch — Sat. March 21, 7:00 PM & Sun. March 22, 4:00 PM vs. Cleveland Monsters at Upstate Medical University Arena. The Crunch (36-19-3-2) are having a strong season and this is a full home weekend. Get there.
New York Yankees — Sat. March 21, 1:05 PM at the Detroit Tigers (Grapefruit League). Spring training winds down, and the Yankees (17-10) are looking sharp heading toward Opening Day.
New York Mets — Sat. March 21, 1:10 PM vs. Houston Astros (Clover Park); Sun. March 22, 1:10 PM at the Miami Marlins. A busy spring training weekend for the Mets (12-10-2), the regular season is right around the corner.
New York Knicks — Sun. March 22, 7:30 PM at the Washington Wizards. The Knicks (46-25) are playing the Wizards (16-53), so… we'll count this as a tune-up. Should be a comfortable night in Washington.
March Madness — The Big Dance rolls on this weekend even without a local team in the mix after Siena's tough first-round loss to Duke. Still great basketball, and with the SU coaching search swirling, every McNamara clip from that game is getting watched about 100 more times than usual.
Well, that's your Saturday edition CNY Insights. Plenty going on whether you're into hoops, hockey, pancake breakfasts, or symphonies. Get out there and enjoy it!