Are We Seeing The (Steady) Decline Of Syracuse Basketball?

Dec 21, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; St. John
Dec 21, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; St. John /
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Dec 21, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; St. John
Dec 21, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; St. John /

The Syracuse basketball team is in the midst of one of their worst seasons in recent memory. Is this a sign of things to come?

Full disclosure: I dread writing this piece.

I’m a proud alum, and a die-hard Syracuse fan to boot, particularly when it pertains to SU basketball. Even in down years, I never stray from fervently – sometimes maniacally – cheering for the Orange.

As a contributor to Inside The Loud House, however, I have to remain objective. Or, at least, partially objective.

Unfortunately, given what’s transpired with the ‘Cuse hoops squad in recent weeks, and also in recent years, I believe this narrative has to get told.

Okay. Deep breath. Here goes.

First, let’s head back in time, to March 2009.

Syracuse caps off a solid 28-win campaign with an appearance in the Sweet 16, falling in respectable fashion to the No. 2 seed in its region, Oklahoma, led by its National Player of the Year, Blake Griffin.

What would follow over the next few seasons – really until the home-stretch portion of the 2014 stanza, and save for last year’s magical Final Four run – is one of the finest spans of success, if not the finest, in SU basketball history.