The games against Duke will always be key from a recruiting standpoint.
Other than the obvious case that the Blue Devils are always tough competition, get excellent television time and ratings, and bring in money for the university, Syracuse’s current situation can help benefit the future.
Although the Orange is not going to participate in any postseason activity this year, the Dome is still expecting a sellout crowd of 34,000-plus fans.
Talk about supporting your student athletes. These are the crowds athletes should want to play in front of. Even though Syracuse has one of the top basketball atmospheres in the country, seeing how the Orange is out of the tournament automatically but can still sell out for a meaningless game in terms of wins and losses, it is still huge. Yes, the Orange is fighting for bragging rights and the chance to get better and compete. Yes, this is still an important game because the younger players have the chance to make good impressions and be more confident for the next step in their future.
This says something about coming to play at Syracuse. Not only is it glorious to play in the ACC and play the best teams in the country on the top stages in front of the audiences, but locally it is a great place to be. Sure, being out of the tournament is not a good thing, but this might be a solid sign in the near future for potential recruits that even when the times get bad, the fans will never go away and they will always be there to create a memorable atmosphere on one of the biggest stages a college athlete can play in front of.
Posted:  Austin Pollack
