(Photo by Marc Squire/Getty Images)

As we sit here in July, amidst warm weather, fireworks, and the sun, it seems the perfect time to talk about...college basketball?

The 2009-2010 Big East schedule has been released today, and after reading it there really is no reason to not believe that Syracuse is a main contender for next season.

The loss of Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf, and Paul Harris definitely hurt. But look at the match ups:

Home Games

UConn
Georgetown
Louisville
Marquette
Pittsburgh
Providence
St. Johns
USF
Villanova

Away Games

Cincinatti
Depaul
Georgetown
Louisville
Notre Dame
Providence
Rutgers
Seton Hall
West Virginia

If you ask me, I would say that it really doesn't get much better than that for the Orange.

Outside of a trip to South Bend against Notre Dame, and a home-and-home with Georgetown, how could this schedule be set up any better?

Connecticut at home, Pittsburgh at home, Georgetown at home, Marquette at home, and most importantly, a showdown with the apparently loaded Villanova Wildcats at the Dome.

The Orange's home-and-home match ups consist of a depleted Louisville team without Terrence Williams and Earl Clark, a Georgetown team whom is coming off of an NIT year (but should be decent), and lowly Providence.

You seemingly have all of the big dogs in the Dome, where the Orange excel.

Is Syracuse still predicted as the Big East favorites, like said before the departure of Flynn, Devendorf, and Harris?

No.

But looking at that schedule I don't see how they can't be looked at as a possible No. 1 seed in New York City come Big East Tournament time.

-KShaw

As written http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

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