NCAA Basketball 2010-11: Syracuse Orange Look To Maintain Success

Syracuse men's basketball is prepared to regain form after last season ended in the Sweet Sixteen to eventual runner-up Butler.  Jim Boeheim is ready to start the season November 12 against Northern Iowa, who upset Kansas in the second round last March.  This Syracuse team has a mix of experience and youth, but is loaded with talent all across the board.

Key Losses

It isn’t going to be easy to replace the three players that this 'Cuse team said good-bye to.  Arinze Onuaku was arguably the most dominant post player in the Big East last season, and his injury in the first round of the Big East Tournament cost the Orange dearly in the NCAA Tournament. 

Andy Rautins is one of the most beloved Orange players of all time.  He brought his three-point shot and all-out hustle to the court every night.  Syracuse also lost leading scorer and playmaker Wes Johnson.  The Iowa transfer was a NBA lottery pick and had a remarkable season with the Orange.

Frontcourt

The one player that must play to his potential is Kris Joseph.  Last year, Joseph averaged 10.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. The 6’7", 210 lb junior from Canada is now a team leader.  He is going to play a lot of minutes and be counted on by Coach Boeheim to produce. 

Alongside him is senior Rich Jackson, who matured a lot last season and really gained his form down the stretch.  He averaged 9.7 points and and 7.0 rebounds per game, which were big improvements from his freshmen and sophomore seasons.  He is the rock in the middle of the vaunted 2-3 zone.  Standing at 6’9", 240 lbs, his wingspan is a major problem when players try to drive the lanes. 

Syracuse has had a lot of talent in the past, but Big East preseason Rookie of the Year Fab Melo a 7’0", 260 lbs center, is the best recruit for the Orange since Carmelo Anthony. He is a 5-star recruit and ranked as the second-best center in last year’s class.  NBA scouts believe there is a high chance he is one and done, but let’s see how he transitions to the college level before that decision is made.  If the hype on him is for real, Big East teams better take notice and beware of the big man from Brazil.

Backcourt

Syracuse has a quality backcourt that is experienced.  Junior Scoop Jardine was the floor general last season, averaging 9.1 points and 4.3 assists per game.  Jardine isn’t afraid to shoot the ball, and he is going to be an instrumental part of the Orange's success this season.  Alongside him is sophomore Brandon Triche.  As a freshman the Syracuse native scored 8.1 ppg. He saw a lot of playing time, which will help him as he sees a more expanded role this year. 

Two guys that were injured last season and saw limited action were James Southerland and Mookie Jones.  They both face an uphill battle, but are going to be competing for minutes off the bench. 

The other big recruit that Boeheim is receiving praise for getting is Dion Waiters, a shooting guard who can light it up from behind the arc.  At 6’3", 210 lbs, he is fearless and loves to take it to the rim.  If he is a real offensive threat now, watch out because that’s another option for this talented squad.

Prediction

This team is good.  The Orange bring back players who took care of the basketball and limited turnovers.  Syracuse is going to have to find a way to make some shots from the perimeter and have a more efficient field goal percentage.  This team has plenty of options to make up for what it lost in Rautins and Johnson. 

Syracuse is going to contend for the Big East Championship this season, winning 26 or 27 games.  This team has a lot in common with the 2003 squad, which went 30-5 and is Jim Boeheim’s only National Championship team.

This article was originally published on BETFIRMS.COM