Syracuse Basketball: Factors That Will Make or Break the Orange in 2014-15

Don't look now, but the Syracuse basketball season is right around the corner. According to power forward Chris McCullough, the team will get back to work Friday.

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It all starts tomorrow! Let's work #CuseNation

— Chris McCullough (@_CM5) October 2, 2014"

There are several questions surrounding this year's Orange team that will determine how far the team goes. If the freshmen adjust quickly, the team has the potential to make some noise in the ACC. Let's take a look at a few of the factors that will make or break the Orange this season.

The Offense

This is where it will all start and end for the Orange. If they can muster more than, say, 65 points, they will give themselves a good chance to win. They averaged 68 a game last year, but in their losses they were putting up numbers like 59, 56 and 53.

The uncertainly this year, though, lies in whom the points will come from. Trevor Cooney returns as the only player who averaged double figures last year. After Cooney, Rakeem Christmas is the highest returning scorer at 5.8 points a game.

We still don't know what to expect from Cooney after he fell off during the second half of last season. If his shot is falling, it will be a big boost to the offense. He also needs to mix in an off-the-dribble game, since opponents will be loading up on the perimeter to shut him down.

Players like Michael Gbinije, Tyler Roberson, Ron Patterson and B.J. Johnson will also need to play a bigger role this year. Except Gbinije, the rest of that crew didn't see much of the floor last year, so we don't know what they will provide.

And then there's the freshmen. Both Kaleb Joseph and McCullough have a lot of upside, but you never know how fast new players will acclimate. They both project to be starters, so they will have a big role early on.

The defense is always going to be there for the Orange. Jim Boeheim has mastered teaching his system, and with an experienced anchor in Christmas, the 2-3 zone should be able to keep teams in check. It will just be a matter of the Orange offense beating the opponent's defense.

The Schedule

Like last year, Syracuse has another tough slate of games ahead of them.

Before January, trips to Michigan and Villanova await as well as a home tilt with St. John's. When the calendar turns, the ACC road will travel through North Carolina, Duke, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. Syracuse will also host Duke, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Virginia.

The trip to Michigan, in particular, is dangerous for the Orange. Not only is the Crisler Center a tough venue, but the Wolverines are custom-built to beat Syracuse. Michigan likes to bomb it from deep, and it can hit it regularly.

As a team, Michigan was seventh in the country from three last year. Caris LeVert and Derrick Walton Jr. both hit better than 40 percent, and Spike Albrecht was at a respectable 38.7 percent. If the Wolverines make it rain in Ann Arbor, Syracuse will leave with a loss.

The schedule makers again didn't do Syracuse any favors. If the Orange struggle to find their offensive footing, it could be a long and tough road to March.

The Pace

We already discussed how the Orange offense is a big question mark right now. One way they can get easier shots is to run off of turnovers.

Boeheim did tell Donna Ditota of Syracuse.com that the Orange were "going to try to push it more." Boeheim also said a lot of it depends on how fast Joseph matures. If he can lead the break without making too many mistakes, the Orange can have a potent transition game.

With Christmas and McCullough cleaning the glass, Cooney spotting up on the perimeter and Roberson and/or Gbinije filling the lanes on the wing, Joseph will have plenty of options to choose from. Joseph himself can also be dangerous on the break, as his quickness and athleticism can be too much for a defender to handle if he catches one backpedaling.

The Orange need all the help they can get on offense. If they can create some easy opportunities in transition, it will help immensely.