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.
Fast forward to present day (albeit, reluctantly).
The Orange, fresh off its second Final Four appearance over the past four seasons, nabs two stud graduate transfers and an acclaimed recruiting class.
Despite its top-three scorers from a year ago no longer on the Central New York campus, head coach Jim Boeheim says this could prove one of his deepest, best teams.
Quite a proclamation from a guy who rarely toots his own crew’s horn. He only does so when he means it. That escalated the buzz surrounding the 2016-17 campaign.
But now, that buzz has almost entirely gone by the wayside.
On Dec. 21, Syracuse got steamrolled by a terrible St. John’s outfit. The 33-point defeat amounted to Boeheim’s largest setback at home in his four decades at the helm.
Next: Syracuse Basketball Setback To St. John’s Is Equally Stunning And Sad
What’s more, SU will enter ACC competition with at least five losses, the most ever in the non-conference slate under Boeheim.
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.
Then, to now:
"2015: 18-13, 9-9 in the ACC. Ineligible for post-season play. 2016: 23-14, 9-9 in the ACC. No. 10 seed, Final Four loss to No. 1 North Carolina. Note that ‘Cuse barely snuck in to the Big Dance before jet-setting on a surprising, remarkable run to the national semifinals."
Current Season: 7-5 in the out-of-conference schedule, with losses to South Carolina, Wisconsin, UConn, Georgetown and St. John’s.
"***Oh, by the way, I recognize that some of the above numbers aren’t official any longer, due to the 101 vacated wins. I’d tell the NCAA where to stick it, but I have an adorable infant son and must watch what I say.***"
Such a backdrop reflects what I consider six relatively strong campaigns, followed by two-and-a-half lackluster ones. I get that we made the Final Four this past March, but if we are assessing things honestly, Syracuse didn’t play well for the majority of the year. No doubt SU performed admirably in the tourney, but luck did factor in; if Michigan State doesn’t get bounced in the First Round, I don’t believe we advance past the Round of 32.
This begs the question: what, precisely, has happened since the meltdown toward the conclusion of the 2014 regular season? And how worried should we feel moving forward?
Well, one point to consider, is that we are spoiled. Most programs would kill for what Syracuse has done dating back to 2009. Our recent success has potentially set the bar too high, and we’ve hit a ceiling, and our now coming back down to Earth.
SU has seen a slew of studs declare early for the NBA Draft. Some expectedly, some without question unexpectedly. This has disrupted our continuity, and thrust guys (hi, Kaleb Joseph) into roles for which they weren’t prepared, and to no fault of their own.
Take a peek at this list: Wes Johnson, Dion Waiters, Fab Melo (whatever), Michael Carter-Williams, Tyler Ennis, Jerami Grant, Chris McCullough and Malachi Richardson. Those are some big-time talents.
Also, a handful of guys have transferred, including Da’Shonte Riley, B.J. Johnson, Ron Patterson, Joseph and Chinonso Obokoh. I’m not saying these dudes would have propelled Boeheim & Co. to a second national championship, but they would have provided some depth.
I despise even bringing this topic up, however, it’s imperative. James Arthur Boeheim, unless he changes his mind, will retire after the 2017-18 season. Yuck. Say what you will about the prickly curmudgeon; he’s won almost 1,000 games (hello, NCAA).
I’ve seen a plethora of stories out there regarding Boeheim’s impending foray into full-time golf mode, and how it hasn’t affected recruiting. That’s fine.
I don’t buy it.
Sure, Syracuse has snagged high-level prospects over the years. We should. On the flip side, just
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peruse what’s taken place in recent months, which we’ve documented here at ITLH.
SU has missed out on numerous top-flight targets, such as Quade Green, whom Boeheim and his staff courted for two years, as well as others including Shai Alexander, Hamidou Diallo (likely), Billy Preston, Nick Richards, Jordan Tucker and Lonnie Walker, to name a few.
The Orange has received commitments from Oshae Brissett and Bourama Sidibe, two lower-ranked, yet promising, recruits. It may land one or two more for next year, Boeheim’s last, but overall, this class will prove slightly disappointing, in my opinion.
I guess the true barometer is the 2018 class, the inaugural one during the Mike Hopkins era. If Hopkins, who for years has served as Syracuse’s primary recruiter, cannot land some heavyweight prospects, I’m afraid we may see trouble lurking in the horizon.
Speaking of recruiting, the NCAA sanctions are real, and they’ve hurt, despite what some national media have proclaimed, especially in light of last season’s Final Four finish.
SU is losing two scholarships annually for a four-year period. That’s significant, as it has forced Boeheim and his staff to act more prudent in their recruiting efforts. Furthermore, ‘Cuse feels a larger impact when players leave early or transfer.
The NCAA also diminished how many coaches Syracuse may have out on the road for recruiting purposes, from four to two.
Mike Waters, an excellent journalist with Syracuse.com, reported this in a Dec. 23 analysis:
"“The off-campus recruiting penalty prevents Syracuse from assigning its coaches to see different recruits at different high school or AAU events, especially during the summer recruiting season. Sometimes, a school will send every member of its staff to one game to impress a key recruit. For the past two years, Syracuse hasn’t been able to match those numbers.”"
This could also make it more challenging for the SU coaches to evaluate younger recruits, Waters also noted.
"“Some of the highest-rated recruits that have come to Syracuse in the past decade committed early, before they blossomed into McDonald’s All-American-quality recruits. The list includes the likes of Jonny Flynn, Dion Waiters and Michael Carter-Williams. The recruiting restriction penalty ends on May 31, 2017.”"
Of course, other programs have gotten punished by the NCAA, and I’m interested to see what shakes out at Louisville and North Carolina. Regardless, I’m wondering if the sanctions levied to SU, as well as the Bernie Fine fiasco, have stained the Orange’s national brand.
Maybe, maybe not. Syracuse and Boeheim have gotten slapped on the proverbial wrist in the past, and they managed to survive, and then thrive again.
As a whole, the college-basketball landscape these days is so spread out. Mid-majors have sprung up and gotten to the Final Four. Recruiting within conferences, and across the country, is fierce.
ESPN’s Jay Bilas, easily the best analyst in the business, often says that there are plenty of good teams out there, and maybe a few great ones here and there, but tons of average ones.
At this moment, I’m afraid, Syracuse is one of those average ones. Assuming the Orange gets by Cornell on Dec. 27, SU will head to conference play at 8-5. ‘Cuse needs, at a minimum, 11 or 12 ACC victories to have any consideration for March Madness, unless it wins the conference-tournament title.
A tall task. I’m not overly optimistic. But I’m also not a fair-weather fan. I’ll root our guys on no matter what.
Our squad, presently, is painful to watch. Signs may point to turbulent times ahead, given that, for the first time in 40 years, someone other than Boeheim will soon roam the sidelines as the Syracuse head coach.
Many, many SU fans – myself included – are probably nervous about the future. There are a lot of unknowns. So much recent good fortune could rapidly give way to lower-ranked recruits, subpar records and NIT berths.
Even if this occurs, I pray it’s only for the short term. When Boeheim served his nine-game suspension in the middle of the 2015-16 campaign, Hopkins filled in, going 4-5.
Not terrific results by any means, but he was jammed into a no-win situation, so those who say that this nine-contest term is a preview of what’s to come, I’m respectfully ignoring them.
We should believe in Hopkins, and in Syracuse. Things may ultimately turn back around in Central New York. We won’t know for a while. For now, let’s have collective faith, ‘Cuse Nation.
Like I said at the onset, penning this commentary is anything but fun.
The headline, which asks whether our beloved Orange is on a downward spiral, makes me queasy. But it poses a legitimate question.
My hope, for everyone’s sake, is that one day down the road, we look back at this article. We laugh, we smile, we calmly exhale a huge sigh of relief.
For my column’s primary assertion has, thankfully, not come true.