Syracuse Basketball: Complete Roster, Season Preview for 2014-15 Orange

While Syracuse might have lost some key players from last year's team, head coach Jim Boeheim always finds a way to reload and be just as good the following year.

Tyler Ennis, C.J. Fair and Jerami Grant were key members of a squad that started the year 25-0 before fading down the stretch and ending in a third-round exit from the NCAA tournament. With these men gone, a new generation of stars will attempt to fill these shoes in the 2-3 zone.

With two impact freshmen joining a solid group of returning players, the Orange will try to again exceed expectations.

The question is whether Syracuse can continue to get it done in what has become an incredibly deep ACC.

Key Newcomers

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Chris McCullough (Power Forward)

If you have watched Syracuse basketball over the past 20-30 years, you have seen plenty of players who look like Chris McCullough. He has the size and length to fit perfectly into the zone defensively while also showing the athleticism to attack the basket on offense.

Although he is not a polished scorer just yet, he will be needed right out of the gate for Syracuse. At the very least, his defense will be useful while also finding a way to rack up points on fast breaks.

Kaleb Joseph (Point Guard)

As one of the best freshman point guards in the country, Kaleb Joseph will have the keys to the car right away at Syracuse. He has the composure necessary to lead a top team while also being aggressive enough to make plays for himself when needed.

With a quality outside shot as well, Joseph will be extremely valuable in his first year.

Key Returners

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Trevor Cooney (Shooting Guard)

One of the most aggressive three-point shooters in the nation, Trevor Cooney launched 240 shots from behind the arc last season. Although some might want to see more restraint this year, he is the only returning player who averaged more than six points per game last season and will be needed to create a lot of offense in 2014-15.

Rakeem Christmas (Center)

Every 2-3 zone needs and anchor, and Rakeem Christmas has proven the ability to succeed in this role. He averaged 1.9 blocks in just 23.6 minutes per game last season and should continue to be a force on that end of the court.

Michael Gbinije (Small Forward)

Gbinije is an extremely versatile bench player who might return to this role again. He is best suited on the wing, where he can use his athleticism to his advantage, but he's also capable of providing relief at either guard position.

Tyler Roberson (Small Forward)

Part of a group of four talented members of the 2013 recruiting class who barely played last season, Tyler Roberson is looking to take a huge jump in his second year with the program. He is a versatile forward who can score inside, and he will be asked to use his slashing ability early and often.

Roster and Projected Rotation

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Spots are a bit up for grabs with only two returning starters from last year's team, which could lead to some experimenting early in the season. Still, here are predictions for the lineup to start the season. You can view the full roster at Cuse.com.

Starting Lineup

PG: Kaleb Joseph

SG: Trevor Cooney

SF: Tyler Roberson

PF: Chris McCullough

C: Rakeem Christmas

Key Bench Players

Michael Gbinije (Guard-Forward), DaJuan Coleman (Center), Chinonso Obokoh (Center), Ron Patterson (Guard)

Kaleb Joseph might be a freshman, but this is a one-man race at point guard. He and Trevor Cooney will clearly be the starters in the backcourt and likely play well north of 30 minutes per game. Michael Gbinije has the talent to start at wing, but he might be more useful off the bench with the ability to play anywhere from 1-3 at a given moment.

Rakeem Christmas likely remains at center after starting all last season at the position, but Jim Boeheim will have some real depth in DaJuan Coleman and Chinonso Obokoh. This will keep everyone fresh and limit foul trouble throughout the year.

Chris McCullough and Tyler Roberson got the start in the team's exhibition game against Carleton University and will likely remain in these roles to start the season, but nothing is guaranteed for young players with a lot to prove.

Biggest X-Factors

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Point Guard Play

From Pearl Washington to Tyler Ennis, Syracuse has seen plenty of success from freshman point guards. Kaleb Joseph is the next on the list, although it does not guarantee he will be as good as those who came before him.

The New Hampshire native does not need to be a go-to scorer out of the gate, but he has to remain composed and find a way to run the offense while making as few mistakes as possible. 

If he struggles, there are not too many other options on the roster.

Post Scoring

Rakeem Christmas has proven his defensive ability, but he still needs to show he can be a quality scorer on the offensive end. One of the reasons for the team's struggles down the stretch last season was the lack of inside presence. There was simply no balance when the outside shots weren't falling.

Syracuse has not had a true inside scorer since Rick Jackson or Arinze Onuaku in 2010-11, but this could be a necessity on the current squad. If Christmas cannot get it done, either DaJuan Coleman or Chinonso Obokoh could get more playing time.

Sophomore Bump

Ennis was just one of what was expected to be a quality 2013 recruiting class. However, there were very few minutes to go around to Obokoh, Tyler Roberson, B.J. Johnson and Ron Patterson.

Roberson might have the highest upside of the group as someone capable of playing either forward position and excelling on both ends of the court. Still, all four of them will likely be needed if the Orange are going to have success this season.

Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios

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Best-Case Scenario

Kaleb Joseph plays as well as Tyler Ennis, while Chris McCullough becomes one of the better big men in the nation. The zone—anchored by a shot-blocking force in Rakeem Christmas—continues to dumbfound opponents and cause turnovers, which leads to easy transition points all year long.

Despite a difficult schedule, Syracuse's defense leads the team to plenty of wins both in and out of the ACC. The Orange finish fourth in the conference and play their way to a top-four seed in the NCAA tournament.

While there simply is not enough offense to make a championship run in March, the squad settles on a Sweet 16 bid and possibly gets into the Elite Eight.

Worst-Case Scenario

The freshmen are not as good as advertised, while the sophomore class does not take the jump everyone is hoping to see. What is left is a solid defensive team that cannot score points, something that will lead to a lot of losses against quality opponents.

Syracuse cannot keep up in a conference that features four teams capable of playing for a No. 1 seed (Duke, North Carolina, Virginia and Louisville). 

With a middle-of-the-pack finish in the ACC, the Orange become one of the first teams out on Selection Sunday.

2014-15 Prediction

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While Syracuse often cruises into conference play thanks to an easy schedule in November in December, that will not be the case this year. The Orange have tough road games at Michigan and at Villanova in addition to the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden.

With all the inexperience on the roster, these early games are unlikely to go Syracuse's way.

On the plus side, the conference schedule is as easy as you could hope for in the ACC with only one game against each of North Carolina, Virginia and Louisville, the last two being at home. While Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and others will cause a challenge, the Orange should be able to build up a good enough record to finish fourth in the conference.

Look for Jim Boeheim's squad to earn about a five or six seed in the NCAA tournament and win at least one game before falling to a more talented opponent.

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