Syracuse Ready For Big East Season

Ryan Raffensperger — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 06:27:58 -0500

Nothing that the Syracuse Orangemen have done so far this season will really prepare them for what is to come as they enter into the heart of the Big East season in the next few days.

But that is because realistically there is nothing that can prepare any team for a Big East season. With eight teams in the Top 25, there is nothing quite like the Big East and the rigors that it presents.

Still, Syracuse, which has a definite yearning to improve on the disappointment of the last two seasons, is as close to ready as it can possibly be. Minus one little blip on the radar, a home buzzer-beating loss to Cleveland State, the Orange have passed every test along the way.

Included in that mix are three marquee wins away from the Carrier Dome. Florida, Kansas, and Memphis all fell victim to the Orange during the preconference part of the schedule.

The Orange were able to accomplish those wins with good point guard play from Jonny Flynn, who may well be unmatched by anyone in the country. They also had some solid shooting away from the basket by Flynn, Eric Devendorf, and Andy Rautins.

In addition, the solid inside play of Arinze Onuaku and recently named starter Rick Jackson has been tough for opponents to match. Plus, the all-around play of Paul Harris has been a key factor.

According to the rankings, there are four Big East teams that are better than the 11th ranked Orange in the Big East - Pitt, Connecticut, Georgetown, and Notre Dame all had slots ahead of Syracuse before conference play began last week. Personally, I'm not sure the Irish are deserving. They seem overrated to me.

Still, the Orange have five games against that group before the regular season ends. It will be interesting to see how they fare against that level of competition.

The Syracuse zone has always provided obstacles for Georgetown, so that might continue to be a match-up that favors the Orange. Syracuse should have won at the Verizon Center a year ago, and romped over the Hoyas at the Carrier Dome.

Meanwhile, Pitt was another game Syracuse should have closed out last year, but was unable to. The Panthers have been scary good to start the season this year. The two schools meet January 19th and you have to figure that the Panthers will be a favorite at that point. Syracuse might have an opportunity to prove that it has matured a bit in this contest and finish things off.

Styles do make match-ups and in recent years, the style of play that UConn presents has given the Orange fits. We'll see if the two big man attack of Onuaku and Jackson will be enough to trouble Thabeet inside for the Huskies. But that game is on the road and will probably see the Orange enter as an underdog.

The Irish does visit the Dome on January 17th. I think this game will possibly be a make or break game for each team at that point. It very well could be that the winner continues on as a contender in the Big East, while the loser falls into that tough second level. I'd give the Orange the advantage now, but the game is still two weeks away.

Syracuse seems to have gotten better this year, but they still have had moments where they haven't been fully focused. First halves like they played against Virginia, Richmond, and Cornell lead to losses in the Big East against all levels of competition.

So even though it is obvious that this team has played the type of basketball capable of winning 25-plus games in the regular season during early season play. It is also possible that if they don't keep focused, that they will be back to where they were the last two seasons. A spot they don't want to find themselves on and that is on the bubble come Selection Sunday.

Syracuse Schedule Should Be One Of The Toughest

Ryan Raffensperger — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:30:22 -0500

The Syracuse basketball schedule has come upon some undue criticism in recent years. Playing in the Big East, the Orange is guaranteed to play one of the more difficult schedules. But as the Orange had taken a we'll play anybody—as long as its in our building attitude, the national media's criticism of the Orange's schedule strengthened as Syracuse didn't play away non-conference games.

All of this despite the fact that Syracuse has consistently played one of the more difficult schedules according to the RPI.

Expect this year to be no exception when the numbers get tallied. But the criticism from the media talking heads should become more difficult to justify as the Orange has again strengthened its non-conference schedule.

Some of that perception might be what has kept the Orange out of the tournament the last two seasons.

Or it might be home losses to Drexel, UMASS, Bucknell and the like that have made it difficult for the selection committee to reward the Orange with a bid. But if Syracuse wants to get back to the tournament this year, it must do a better job to limit those poor losses and then if it wins five of these 10 games it should find itself among those dancing at seasons end.

1. November 24th versus Florida at Kansas City. A neutral site game at the site of the College Basketball Hall of Fame induction where Jim Phelan goes into the Hall the night before. This will give the Orange an early look at how good they might be as they face a Florida team that has won two of the last three national championships, but of course didn't make the tourney last year.

2. November 25th versus Kansas or Washington. If the Orange gets to play Kansas, it will be against a partisan crowd. Its a great game for the Orange. Because its one that many folks won't hold against them if they lose to the defending national champs, but would be a huge boost at selection time with a win.

3. November 28th versus Virginia. If the Big East is going to get eight or more teams in the tournament this year (and the Orange could be one of those extra teams) this is the type of game it can't afford to lose. This is a mediocre ACC team, so the Big East squad needs to show the conference's dominance in a situation like this.

4. December 20th at Memphis. The Orange should have double digit wins by the time its gets to Beale. This is another matchup that the media and the selection committee has to give the Orange credit for. Plus its early enough in the season where the Tigers might not be as good as they are going to get.

5. January 14th at Georgetown. Syracuse nearly beat Georgetown both times last year, in this rivalry. Really they should have. This first real big conference game comes on the road and gives the Orange a chance to indicate that they are a force to be reckoned with.

6. January 19th at Pittsburgh. I've always had a theory with Jim Boeheim coached Orange teams, that they don't win on the road between the 15th of January and the 15th of February, that the long haul of the season and the familiarity of the conference teams and the zone seem to bury them. This game obviously is one that could be pivotal for the Orange. Pitt got a huge come from behind win last season and the Orange will look to finish this one if possible.

7. January 25th vs Louisville. History says these are the types of games that Syracuse plays its best in. Who knows? Maybe this becomes a great Dome turnout and the game of the season for the Orange. It certainly has that possibility.

8. February 7th at Villanova. This is a team that the Orange (if its fighting for a berth) might be fighting with. Consequently, any advantage it can get over them would help. Certainly a win in Philly would qualify as an advantage.

9. February 11th at UCONN. The Orange hasn't had a lot of success of late in Connecticut whether its at Gampel or Hartford. This could be the last chance at a signature win on the road, a mark on the resume that the Orange may desperately need at this point of the season depending on previous results.

10. February 14th at Georgetown. There are still five games after this Valentine's game with the Hoyas. But the Orange may have no better chance in those five than it will in this one to prove it belongs in the Big Dance. Plus its the Hoyas and its the Carrier Dome. It will be a big game.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan Raffensperger

Syracuse Ready For Big East Season

Syracuse Schedule Should Be One Of The Toughest