Losing A.O. Could Spell Alpha and Omega For Boeheim's Boys

Now before I get meaty with this piece, allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm no Jay Hova, but I do know my Big East basketball. Since my younger and dumber days as a fanboy for the Johnnies, I've been gung-ho pro-BEast (that's my contraction for Big East, get used to it). I was on the bandwagon before it was trying to avoid mascots like the Redmen and the Orangemen.

Now that my history is clear, allow me to make a case: This year's Syracuse squad was the best TEAM I had seen in the BEast since the 2004 national champion UConn squad headlined by future NBA players named Charlie Villanueva (Blair Academy, stand up), Rudy Gay, Josh Boone, Marcus Williams and Hilton Armstrong. That team could run with bulls, shoot the sun out, stop the ball, and oh yeah...run 7+ starters out on the floor all night. That aspect, that edge of depth with quality over quantity separated the Huskies from the rest.

Before today's developments, 'Cuse was my pick to be the last one left on the dance floor. You've heard all the adulation for BEast baller of the semester Wes "The Big Wet" Johnson, you know about all-around Andy Rautins, the scary long 2-3 D, the lighter (Scoop) and gasoline (KrisJo) off the pine, under-the-radar frosh Brandon Triche has even had his shining moments, and with the two pillars of post-play, A.O. and Rick "Action" Jackson dominating the inside, a deep run in the post-season was definitely on the horizon...before today's developments.

As of 7:51PM EST, Arinze Onuaku has been officially diagnosed with a strained right quad tendon, something that, according to ESPN.com's Dana O'Neil, has been a source of trouble for the Lanham, Maryland native in seasons past. Of course, we're not sure how badly A.O. is hurting, nor will he ever show it, but from this writer's perspective that right knee has seen far better days.

Let's look at this injury with orange-tinted glasses for a moment:

With A.O. nursing a bum axle and the Orange on a week-long hiatus because of the early exit, maybe the time off will allow the 'Cuse to regroup and let the big man rest up enough to have a go at it come first-round action.

Now let's take those orange-tinted glasses off and put on a more pessimistic pair:

The Orange go without the wounded warrior and try to make a run at the title with DaShonte Riley (7-foot project) and James Southerland (Queens, NY product) filling those big Nikes.

It's not the points (11ppg) or the rebounds (6rpg) that are going to be missed. I honestly think that production slack can be picked up by a ramped-up Tournament-worthy performance by The Big Wet. It's the gaping gash that will be glaringly obvious in the middle of the 2-3 Zone that Syracuse has used so lethally well all season long.

Though his vertical leap may have been limited by his knee history, Onuaku's prowess as a shot-changer was clearly evident throughout this campaign; even managing 6 blocks against the perennially notorious nation-leaders in blocks per game, Jim Calhoun's UConn squad. The stats may not have shown his significance night in and night out, but just watching him on any gamenight would be proof enough of his worth to the Orange. He was built to brawl in the BEast. Plain and simple. A.O. is a mountain of a man that will be sorely missed should his knee not agree.

All is not lost for the Orange, as this team is truly just that...a team. Jim Boeheim didn't win his conference coach of the year award for his Ref-you-did-NOT-just-miss-that-call face. In pulling together a championship team like this year's version, Boeheim ought to have trumped that Kathryn Bigelow for Best Director, as well. On paper, the Orange were nowhere near the top of the BEast, let alone the nation. Losing the top three scorers from last year's Sweet 16 team didn't help, neither did a generally unheralded incoming recruiting class, so expectations were modest. Losing to LeMoyne College in an exhibition hometown showdown at the Carrier Dome was a very different experience for many Orange fans. Jim Boeheim's middle name ought to be Elmer the way his coaching has glued this macaroni-art mess together.

Through the non-conference schedule, many would have called the Orange over-achievers; winning away from the Dome against Florida and California while maintaining perfection all the while. Strong at the top two spots and versatile on the wings of the zone, the Orange stymied their opponents with Onuaku locking it up inside for 25-30 minutes a game. Whatever Boeheim is putting in the Gatorade should be put in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame because he had his whole team buying what he was selling. There were lapses in conference play, but nothing overtly alarming. That team defensive concept will be put to through the gauntlet should A.O. struggle in his return, or *pause for dramatic effect* should he not return at all.

It's going to take a big effort on the behalf of the Syracuse Orange as a unit to maintain that beautiful team flow they've played all year, but like the New York Lotto guy says, "Hey...you never know."