sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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SU News
Four Things That Can Bring SU Men's Basketball Fans Joy This March (auburnpub.com; Boyer)
There's no question that Syracuse men's basketball fans are feeling some pain this March because their team, which has been pretty much been a lock for the NCAA tournament for decades, is not playing. There's some debate as to whether the Orange would have snagged at an at-large bid this year, had the school not self-imposed a one-year postseason ban due to NCAA violation. But no matter which side of that debate you're on, we'll all probably catch ourselves wondering more than a few teams how SU would have done had they gotten in.
Nevertheless, Orange fans are also college basketball fans. And in that spirit, there are some things that can bring some intrigue and even joy to central New York in this year's tournament. Here's a few:
1. Can the ACC flex its muscles?
The conference in which Syracuse was more than competitive this season has six bids in the tourney, and all six teams have a strong shot at advancing past the first round. Moreover, three teams (Duke, Virginia, Notre Dame) and arguably five (North Carolina and Louisville) have legitimate chances to reach the Final Four.
2. If the Irish go far, then SU would have gone ...?
Fresh off its ACC tournament title, Notre Dame is widely considered one of the hottest teams in the country. And more than a few experts are putting the Irish into the Final Four. So which team was the last to beat them? That would be your Syracuse Orange, of course. SU executed brilliantly on a February night in South Bend to make ND's spectacular offense look ordinary. If future Irish opponents' coaches are smart, they're studying that game tape.
3. The Louisville connection
After some intense battles in the Big East and ACC, it may seem odd for Syracuse supporters to think about cheering for the Cardinals in the tournament, but don't forget about the big SU connection to that team: the Boeheim coaching tree. SU coach Jim Boeheim brought a young Rick Pitino to central New York to serve as one of his assistants. We all know the success Pitino has gone on to enjoy, but if old Jim (actually he was young Jim back then) hadn't convinced Pitino to leave a nice gig in Hawaii back in the 1970s, who knows?
...
Four Things That Can Bring SU Men's Basketball Fans Joy This March (auburnpub.com; Boyer)
There's no question that Syracuse men's basketball fans are feeling some pain this March because their team, which has been pretty much been a lock for the NCAA tournament for decades, is not playing. There's some debate as to whether the Orange would have snagged at an at-large bid this year, had the school not self-imposed a one-year postseason ban due to NCAA violation. But no matter which side of that debate you're on, we'll all probably catch ourselves wondering more than a few teams how SU would have done had they gotten in.
Nevertheless, Orange fans are also college basketball fans. And in that spirit, there are some things that can bring some intrigue and even joy to central New York in this year's tournament. Here's a few:
1. Can the ACC flex its muscles?
The conference in which Syracuse was more than competitive this season has six bids in the tourney, and all six teams have a strong shot at advancing past the first round. Moreover, three teams (Duke, Virginia, Notre Dame) and arguably five (North Carolina and Louisville) have legitimate chances to reach the Final Four.
2. If the Irish go far, then SU would have gone ...?
Fresh off its ACC tournament title, Notre Dame is widely considered one of the hottest teams in the country. And more than a few experts are putting the Irish into the Final Four. So which team was the last to beat them? That would be your Syracuse Orange, of course. SU executed brilliantly on a February night in South Bend to make ND's spectacular offense look ordinary. If future Irish opponents' coaches are smart, they're studying that game tape.
3. The Louisville connection
After some intense battles in the Big East and ACC, it may seem odd for Syracuse supporters to think about cheering for the Cardinals in the tournament, but don't forget about the big SU connection to that team: the Boeheim coaching tree. SU coach Jim Boeheim brought a young Rick Pitino to central New York to serve as one of his assistants. We all know the success Pitino has gone on to enjoy, but if old Jim (actually he was young Jim back then) hadn't convinced Pitino to leave a nice gig in Hawaii back in the 1970s, who knows?
...
