Syracuse Basketball: 5 Trap Games on the Orange'S 2012-13 Schedule

Jim Boeheim's Syracuse Orange will reload and contend for the Big East title in 2012-13, but there are some under-the-radar opponents who could trip them up along the way.

Syracuse's schedule includes a couple of tricky non-conference tilts against mid-level opponents, including a new event in the Big Apple.

The Orange must also be ready for every Big East underdog, as some conference opponents will be surprisingly improved and competitive.

Let's take a look at five trap games on Syracuse's 2012-13 schedule. 

DePaul Blue Demons

With a dreadful 3-15 Big East record last year, the DePaul Blue Demons have a long way to go to contend in the conference.

But don't sleep on them this year.

Sure, they won't be a top-tier team, but they're returning most of their roster and could knock off some teams who look past them.

Syracuse will have its hands full with DePaul's 1-2 punch of Cleveland Melvin and Brandon Young, one of the best guard-forward duos in the Midwest. If the Orange don't bring their best stuff, they could be staring at an upset.

Marquette Golden Eagles

With Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder both gone, it might be tempting to undervalue the Marquette Golden Eagles heading into next season.

Remember that Buzz Williams always has his squad ready to compete. Syracuse could end up with a road loss if they don't keep an eye on Davante Gardner, Vander Blue and Junior Cadougan.

Marquette is the type of team that will be able to run with the Orange. Cadougan was one of the best floor generals in the Big East in 2011-12, and he'll put plenty of pressure on the Orange to be disciplined on defense and guard the passing lanes.

Temple Owls

The inaugural "Gotham Classic" at Madison Square Garden will feature a late-December meeting between Syracuse and the Temple Owls.

The Garden is a home away from home for the Orange, but Temple is used to playing non-conference matchups on neutral ground, too. 

Fran Dunphy's squad had a terrific year in the Atlantic-10 last year, and the future Big East program is led by Khalif Wyatt on the perimeter and Michael Eric down low.

If Syracuse needs a wake-up call, all they need to do is watch the film of Temple's upset over Duke last season.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Returning all of their major contributors for the 2012-13 campaign, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will be a dangerous team, even outside the confines of their home floor.

Quality wins against Florida, UConn and Notre Dame last year give Rutgers confidence heading into this season.

With another offseason to work with the core of this squad, head coach Mike Rice will have them ready to be tougher on the road and a better offensive team.

Key players for Syracuse to bottle up include Eli Carter, Myles Mack and Wally Judge.

South Florida Bulls

Big East Coach of the Year Stan Heath runs one of the best defenses in the country at South Florida. It's certainly the best defense in the Big East.

Syracuse's new-look group will have to work hard to grind out possessions and get high-percentage opportunities against the Bulls.

USF had a poor offensive front last year, but they spread the scoring among several players. This year, their balanced scoring attack will be improved as they return five of their top six scorers from last season.

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