Are We Seeing The (Steady) Decline Of Syracuse Basketball?
By Neil Adler
Taking it a step further, unless things reverse course quickly, there’s the distinct possibility that the Orange finishes the season with a losing record, a “milestone” that Jimmy B. has avoided so far.
A prolonged period in the premier echelon of college basketball appears on the verge of collapse. How depressing.
In all fairness, a bevy of powerhouse programs have experienced ups and downs. Schools such as Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and UCLA. Kansas, lately, not so much. But you get the drift.
Perhaps, it’s Syracuse’s turn. And this has occurred before. I don’t pretend to have an abundance of expertise on ‘Cuse prior to my time there (1996-2000), but, heck, review 2005-08:
Two first-round NCAA Tournament exits (although a pair of Big East Tourney crowns), followed by back-to-back trips to the NIT. Remember, folks, SU had captured its only national title just several years’ prior.
Then, my absolute favorite Orange stint, beginning with the previously mentioned go-round with the Sooners. A re-cap:
"2009: 28-10, 11-7 in the Big East. No. 3 seed, Sweet 16 loss to No. 2 Oklahoma. 2010: 30-5, 15-3 in the Big East. No. 1 seed, Sweet 16 loss to No. 5 Butler. Note that center Arinze Onuaku injured his right quadriceps in the Big East quarterfinals and didn’t suit up in the Big Dance. 2011: 27-8, 12-6 in the Big East. No. 3 seed, Round of 32 loss to No. 11 Marquette. Note that a controversial over-and-back call against point guard Scoop Jardine toward the game’s conclusion proved costly in a four-point defeat. 2012: 34-3, 17-1 in the Big East. No. 1 seed, Elite Eight loss to No. 2 Ohio State. Note that center Fab Melo was declared ineligible for the NCAA Tournament. 2013: 30-10, 11-7 in the Big East. No. 4 seed, Final Four loss to No. 4 Michigan. 2014: 28-6, 14-4 in the ACC. No. 3 seed, Round of 32 loss to No. 11 Dayton. Note that Syracuse started the year with 25 straight victories, a SU record, before going 3-6 in its last nine contests."
So from 2009-14, the Orange had six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances: one Final Four, one Elite Eight, two Sweet 16s, and two Round of 32s. It held no worse than a No. 4 seed, secured a No. 1 seed twice, and also received a No. 1 ranking in the polls in several instances.