Syracuse Basketball: Why the Orange Will Win the National Title

Syracuse has faced many off-court distractions with the whole Bernie Fine scandal. Fortunately for the Orange, the scandal has not affected their play in the slightest bit.

Both the university and the basketball program have been taking the necessary precautions concerning the scandal, and success has been a result.

In what could very well be Jim Boeheim's last year, the Orange have stormed out of the gates. With impressive wins over Stanford, Virginia Tech, Marshall and Florida, the Orange have shown signs of tremendous talent.  

Aside from his 800-plus wins, Boeheim is known for his enforcement of the 2-3 zone, an effective defense that has been helping the 'Cuse cruise at the beginning of the season.

The zone has done its job of preventing inside passes and creating turnovers. But, it is what the Orange have done with these turnovers that is impressive. 

In their game against Marshall, the Orange had 20 points off turnovers. The phrase "defense wins championships" can only be applied in basketball when there is a capitalization off of turnovers.

The Orange zone is structured in a way that when there is a defensive rebound, the guards are already on the move. Then, a quick outlet pass normally leads to a two-on-one, resulting in an easy bucket. The Orange's ability to capitalize on turnovers and rebounds is essential for their success.

Another reason that the Orange will be successful down the stretch is their bench. The Orange have an 11-man rotation.

Leading their bench is sophomore Dion Waiters. Waiters is a driving force that has provided a spark to say the least.

Despite being the sixth man, Waiters is second on the team in scoring, averaging about 12 points a game. He had a spectacular performance on his birthday, including three highlight-worthy dunks against George Washington.

In addition to Dion Waiters, two new freshmen are proving their worth. Highly touted center, Rakeem Christmas and guard, Michael Carter-Williams are showing signs of promising futures in Syracuse.

Aside from the bench, the starting lineup is unique in the sense that there is no true starter that demands the ball on every play like the way Carmelo Anthony and Wes Johnson did.

Kris Joseph is showing that he can be a strong team player and leader, as he is leading the team with about 14 points a game.

Scoop Jardine is also showing his experience with a little over four assists per game. Because he is splitting time with Waiters, the two will have a lot of energy come tournament time. Neither will be fatigued, while other big-time point guards might face that problem, as Johnny Flynn did in 2009.

The last time the Orange were ranked this high, they lost in the Sweet 16, mainly due to a key injury to big man Arinze Onuaku.

The Orange have plenty of height to the extent that even an injury to one of their big man would not be a complete and utter setback. Baye Moussa Keita, Fab Melo and Christmas are all 6'9" or taller, and C.J. Fair is a promising rebounder and scorer to boot.

If there is a year for the Orange to win it all, this is it. They simply have the talent, depth and tenacity to make a run. Now, let's see if they can do it.