A win is a win.
Although there were some rough patches along the way for the #3 Orange, they beat their first ranked team of the year and started their quest for a national championship off on the right foot. They went neck-and-neck for the majority of the first half and ran away with the game In the second frame. SU dominated the third quarter with a 6-3 run.
The Good
The ‘Cuse moved the ball particularly well for an opening game, especially with true hidden ball trick, Syracuse had strong off-ball movement and cut down on the messy turnovers. SU saw young players such as Bogue Hahn and Ted Rawson getting reps. Outside of a poorly executed turnovers that plagued the NCAA Tournament run a year ago. We’ve just hit February, but it seems that Gary Gait has already implemented a concrete offensive scheme.
The Bad
Syracuse struggled mightily against Boston University’s 10-man ride. While the Orange have another opportunity to face another 10-man ride with the St. Joseph’s game this weekend, they can’t rely on defense and midfield talent alone to beat the 10-man ride. Maryland’s ride was one of the reasons why SU fell in the Final Four a year ago; The Orange can’t let it become an issue in 2026 with the murderers row of opponents on tap this spring.
The Look Ahead
SU faces St. Joes, perhaps its easiest opponent all season, this Saturday. While its not the flashiest opponets before the heavyweight home matchup against Maryland next Friday, it provides an opportunity to gain traction with strong clears and continued reps for younger depth players.
