Thank goodness it’s finally here.
Syracuse basketball is back, which means it’s finally time to see some more winning in the Carrier Dome (it’s a rough time to be a Syracuse football fan). The Orange kicks off the regular season tonight against Lehigh, and everyone knows Jim Boeheinm and the Orange are ready to get back into the NCAA Tournament picture. The freshmen who were Jim Boeheim’s best recruiting class ever will log the first games of their collegiate careers, and the way Syracuse played in its exhibition games gives a lot to be excited about. Let’s take a look at some of the numbers Syracuse has been defined by going into the season.
3-0 – All-time recod against Lehigh
Yep, Syracuse has had success against Lehigh over the years, but the Orange and Mountain Hawks haven’t played since 1931. Lehigh isn’t the worst team to start out you season with, but it’s not like they’ve won five Big East championships or anything. If I were a betting man, I’d be putting all my chips on Syracuse upping that streak to four in a row tonight.
41: Ranking on ESPN
It’s already well known that the Orange did not receive a single vote in the first AP poll, but ESPN did rank every single team in college basketball and the Orange just missed the top 40. Syracuse may be a better team than what the nation thinks right now, but there just isn’t anything to back it up yet. While the good recruiting class would make you think Syracuse would have a better projection, this team is still small down low and lost two of its leading scorers from last year are no longer with the team.
62: Syracuse’s three-point attempts in exhibition games
Syracuse went with the air attack in its two exhibition games. Against Le Moyne and Florida Southern, the Orange put up 32 and 29 three-point tries. This team is shooting from behind the arc at a rate that has almost never been seen in the school’s history. If the exhibition games were any indicator of what is to come, this year’s Syracuse basketball team will be at the very least exciting to watch.
Posted: Nathan Dickinson
