Syracuse Basketball Preview

After a disappointing finish to last season, the Orange are excited for a new year.

By Jon Edwards

Any season that ends in a 34-3 record is usually a great one, but that just wasn’t the case for Syracuse last season. Center Fab Melo was suspended from the NCAA Tournament, and the Orange lost to Ohio State in their Elite 8 appearance. There were many departures from last season’s roster, but the Orange re-stocked and are ready to go even further this year.

What They Lost – One of the biggest losses for the Orange are seniors Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine. They were the heart and soul of the team and provided great veteran leadership. Not to mention their combined 23 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals per game. The Orange certainly have the depth to put bodies in their places, but it will be extremely hard to replace these veterans.

Syracuse also had two early entrants into the NBA Draft. Dion Waiters, the top sixth man in the nation, was the third overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He excelled in his role, and gave the Orange extreme energy whenever he came into the game.

Fab Melo was the Celtics second first round pick. The 7-footer made huge strides in his offensive game, and was a beast defensively. He affected almost every shot in the paint when he was playing. All four players were key contributors for the ‘Cuse last year.

AP Photo/ Tim Roske

What They Gained – Even though there are only three additions to this year’s team, each one is going to have a big impact. The Orange are going to need a good season from redshirt sophomore Trevor Cooney. He has to step up to be the rotational third guard to give the starters some rest. We’ve been able to see this kid’s unlimited range in practice and scrimmages. Now we get to see if it translates to game time.

Syracuse brought in top-50 recruit Jerami Grant, who is freakishly athletic. His game doesn’t stand out in any particular aspect, but he can score the ball and will certainly affect the game on the defensive side. He’s 6’8’’ with a wingspan of over 7 feet, and can jump through the roof. He will certainly get minutes off the bench and will be a key player this season.

 The biggest newcomer for Syracuse is the local kid, Jamesville-Dewitt grad DaJuan Coleman. Ranked the best recruit in New York, Coleman should step right into the starting lineup. CBSSports.com’s Jon Rothstein says the McDonald’s All-American “Will have a DeJuan Blair / Jared Sullinger type impact as a freshman for Syracuse. Just a man among college kids.”

What They Still Have – Syracuse still returns a great core from last season. Senior guard Brandon Triche will be this year’s leader on the court. He will be joined in the starting backcourt by sophomore Michael Carter-Williams, who looks to have a breakout season as one of the premiere point guards in the nation. These guys have the ability to score in bunches, but also are very confident running the offensive sets.

AP Photo/ Kevin Rivoll

The Orange keeps a great deal of depth in the frontcourt with C.J. Fair, Rakeem Christmas, Baye Keita, and James Southerland.

Keita put on even more weight this offseason and will be better suited to bang down low with the big boys. He’s not going to light up the score sheet, but he’s the type of player you need off the bench.

After having the top sixth man in the nation last year, it wouldn’t shock me to see the Orange do it again with James Southerland. A starter for pretty much any other team, Southerland’s length helps him get his jump shot off, where he can heat up quickly.

Christmas will step into a starting role where he should flourish. Already a menacing rebounder, his offensive game is greatly improved. He has a good enough jump shot to go with his moves down low, and he should provide a viable option for ‘Cuse.

Returning starter C.J. Fair is the glue of this team. He can do it all. He scores, rebounds, plays great defense, and now has added range to his jumper, where he can extend past the 3-point line. Fair looks to have an all-conference type season.

Projected lineup:

Michael Carter-Williams

Brandon Triche

C.J. Fair

DaJuan Coleman

Rakeem Christmas

James Southerland

Jerami Grant

Trevor Cooney

Baye Keita

Michael Gbinije

Anything less than a Final 4 appearance for Syracuse should be considered unsuccessful. Get ready for a year full of excitement and high-flying action for the Orange!