Will the Orange get back to the Big Dance?
The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball season gets underway tonight when the LeMoyne Dolphins make the short trip over to the JMA Wireless Dome. Adrian Autry’s squad is looking to get back into the NCAA Tournament so let’s make some season predictions for the Orange:
Kevin: 20-11 overall, 12-8 ACC, NCAA First Round
I’ve got the Orange with an 8-3 non-conference with losses to Texas, Tennessee and Maryland. It’s not going to be easy to get back into Tournament consideration so Syracuse will need a strong ACC campaign and I think this team will round into form and take advantage of a favorable schedule to finish with 20 wins and a spot in the First Four in Dayton.
Dom: 21-10 overall, 13-7 ACC, Next Four Out
Similar to Kevin, I’ve got Syracuse mostly performing well in non-conference but falling short against three of its clear toughest non-con opponents. The main difference: I think Syracuse will be a surprise team against the ACC and that will lead to another year of upsetting the initial preseason projections. All that said, even with the expected record I’m picking the Orange for, I think it puts them in the conversation but outside the NCAA Tournament still… unless there’s a deep run during the conference tournament.
Mike: 21-10 overall, 12-8 ACC, Last Four In
Autry’s first non-conference schedule has some serious challenges but I think his squad has the experience to overcome Maryland and finish it with losses to just Texas and Tennessee. Not having a single trip to Tobacco Road bodes well for swiping a few road games in ACC play, such as the three new conference additions, who ranked 13, 16 and 17 respectively in the preseason poll. Those factors plus a decent ACCT showing should be enough to get them to a play-in game – but I worry injuries will once again hamper them and cut any kind of run well short.
Max: 19-12 overall, 11-9 ACC, First Four Out
Syracuse dominated in the Dome last season (14-2), and I expect similar success this time around, 15-2 to be exact (losses to Duke and North Carolina). If the Orange want to make the tournament, they’ll have to steal some conference games on the road, which is where I think they come up just short (4-9). Like in recent years, Autry’s revamped squad will need a minimum of two wins in the conference tournament to have a chance in the big dance. Even with that, I think SU’s bubble still bursts on Selection Sunday.
Szuba: 22-9 overall, 13-7 ACC, NCAA First Round
Color me the most optimistic of the group. First, a caveat: We might know less about this Syracuse basketball team coming into a season than any other in recent memory. Here’s what I’m going off of: The ACC figures to be better top to bottom this year but if Red can win 20 games with all the challenges he faced in his first year, I think a two game improvement is reasonable with a coachable group of veteran players. If early season mishaps occur, I don’t think the wheels will fall of the wagon as a mature group should show resolve and come together. There’s probably a ceiling to how good this team could be, it’s not like the talent is off the charts and there might not be a true star. That said, there are still two McDonald’s All-Americans and a group of former top 100 players on this roster. Syracuse is deeper this season from one to 12. A return to the tournament could be in store, just don’t go expecting a continuation of the apology tour.
Sam: 18-13 overall, 10-10 ACC, NIT
I know that Syracuse won 20 games last year, and I’m projecting them to win fewer, but I do believe that the Orange will be a better basketball team. I don’t think SU was as good as its record suggests last year, as the team had a lot of positive variance with defense early on, outlier shooting in a few close games, and “bad” wins against worse teams as well.
Before you call me a hater, I believe in this team’s ceiling and think the NCAA Tournament is within reach.
From what we’ve seen on the offensive end in preseason exhibitions, Syracuse looks to have adapted its approach to feature more movement on offense, which has a chance to skyrocket the unit’s ranking. However, I’m very concerned with how this team will guard ball screens and defend the rim.
I’d love to see this team in the NCAA Tournament, but I’m not convinced that it gets there.
Audrey: 21-10 overall, 12-8 ACC, NCAA First Round
Like Szuba, I am in the more optimistic camp about this season. Because the Orange secured a 20-win season last year despite some locker room dysfunction and on-court challenges, I can’t help but give Coach Autry the benefit of the doubt. I think this year’s squad will definitely feel the sting of Judah Mintz’s absence — that’s an 18-point-per-game player they’re missing — but I am cautiously hopeful about how ‘Cuse has been able to fill the in the gaps this summer. We have reliable 3-point shooters in Chris Bell and Elijah Moore, and Eddie Lampkin (barring injury) will fulfill the Orange’s need for a big, double-double-getting-body down low. I also don’t think this team will take long to gel. Players have been vocal during the offseason about the family-like environment Red fosters and how the transfers’ previous college experience has helped our new faces blend right in.
*************************************************************************************************
How do you think this season will unfold?