Syracuse Basketball had an okay season by their own lofty standards last year. They went 15-8 in the regular season and met a quick exit from the ACC Tournament. They made the NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed.
Then, the Big Dance altered the perception of the season. The Orange demolished San Diego State before upsetting West Virginia en route to the Sweet Sixteen, where they fell to Houston. Suddenly, the Orange were building momentum for the coming season.
Syracuse did lose a number of significant players from last year’s squad. Alan Griffin wound his way to the G League. Marek Dolezaj graduated. Star forward Quincy Guerrier transferred to Oregon, while important backup Kadary Richmond left for Seton Hall.
But there are plenty of important figures back, most importantly, coach Jim Boeheim. Retirement has been just around the bend for some time, but Boeheim just keeps on ticking, entering his 46th season. It’s starting to seem likely that he’ll see out his sons’ careers with the Orange.
Speaking of them, they’re both around for the full season ahead. Buddy Boeheim emerged as a legitimate star last season, averaging 17.8 points per game and dropping 30 in the Big Dance upset of the Aztecs. Jimmy Boeheim transferred from Cornell, where he averaged 16.7 points per game in 2019-20 before being sidelined along with the rest of the Ivy League in 2020-21.
Joseph Girard III is back too, seemingly for his eighth college season. Significant newcomers behind Jimmy Boeheim include Villanova transfer Cole Swider and four-star recruit Benny Williams.
Will the Orange make another run in the NCAA Tournament? Let’s preview their season, beginning with their starting lineup.