#22 Syracuse Orange
Team: Syracuse Orange
Conference: Big East
2006 Record and Ending: 24-11, Lost to Clemson in NIT quarterfinals
Key Players Returning: Eric Devendorf is the returning player with the most experience and will be looked upon to be the leader of this squad. Paul Harris, who was somewhat of a disappointment in his first season, will need to step up his game if the Cuse are going to compete.
What's to Love: You may be asking "How can an NIT team that lost three starters be expected to improve"? Combine arguably the best recruiting class in the country plus that fact that the departed Watkins and Roberts caused more problems than they were worth, and you can see where the optimism comes from. Incoming freshmen Johnny Flynn and Donte Green are going to be expected to be the next Carmelo and Gmac to anxious Cuse fans. If they can play half and as good as those two, there is a good chancethat this year's team won't be left at the Selection Sunday alter again.
What's Not To Love: Anytime that you are resting your hopes on three freshmen starters (Flynn, Greene, Arinze Onuaku), you are taking a major risk. The Cuse will also be without last season's unquestioned leader in Demteris Nichols. Can Devendorf fill that void? There are also some doubts about Paul Harris' actual ability compared to the hype. The Cuse also took a hit in the offseason when potential sixth man Andy Rautins suffered a season ending ACL tear playing for Team Canada.
Key Player: Paul Harris. Last year's super recruit failed to live up to the hype, averaging just 8.6 ppg. He's moving to small forward to make room for Flynn, and Boeheim is hoping for better results. For the Cuse to return to the Dance, Harris needs to step up as a viable second or third scoring option.
Best Case: Greene and Flynn become Melo-Gmac II, Harris steps up his game and averages close to a double-double, Devendorf takes the leap from role player to leader, Cuse knock some Big East powers in the Dome.
Worst Case: The freshmen play like, well, freshmen, the team struggles without a consistent outside threat thanks to the loss of Rautins, the team struggles to rebound because of a lack of frontcourt depth, the Cuse miss the tournament for the second consecutive year.....causing the school to go back to the "Orangemen" nickname (wishful thinking) .
STF Prediction: We like Boeheim in revenge mode and the outstanding recruits. 4th to 6th in the Big East, Round of 32
3 comments:
Yeah, bitching about freshmen at Syracuse seems like a losing battle ever since 2003.
"Hey, Boeheim! You can't win with freshme.... oh, never mind."
Very well done preview... I think the 3-point issue will be as big a deal as the rebounding issue though.
Devendorf, Greene and Flynn should be enough of a threat on the perimeter for teams to respect them from out there.
Onuaku and the freshman big men (not named Greene, Flynn and Jardine) and their development will be huge.
Great job on the preview! I was stoked to read a preview from someone who knows Cuse Basketball. The only thing I would add or change is that Arinze Onuaku is not a freshman. He was injured last year, but played well in a limited role two years ago. Could be wrong, but I did work for Syracuse Athletics Marketing so I really hope I'm right.
Other than that, great and thorough job!
jv
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