Syracuse Basketball: Top 30 Players in School History
By Josh Peelman
Eric Devendorf was the kind of player you didn’t want to face on a basketball court. He didn’t care who you were or where you came from. When playing for Syracuse, he would trash-talk opponents and constantly go at them on offense to wear them down. In many ways, he seemed like a dirty player, though in reality, he wasn’t.
Devo, as he’s affectionately called by the Orange faithful, had the game to back up his words. He was a great mid-range shooter and could get to the rim when needed to. He wasn’t flashy per se, but he was productive. That production led to much success while in an Orange uniform.
As of today, Devendorf sits 14th all-time amongst Syracuse scorers. So why is he only 29th on our list? Well, in our book there are just too many talented players and legends ahead of him. Many of them specialized in more than just scoring, while scoring was Devo’s only real calling card.
During his Syracuse Basketball career, he averaged 14.5 points in three years. Technically, he played four years, but he earned a medical redshirt his junior year after suffering a season-ending ACL knee injury 10 games in.
In his senior year, following his knee injury, Devendorf led the Orange to a 28-10 record, a spot in the Big East Tournament Final, and to the Sweet 16. In addition, the most memorable moment of his career came that season in the six overtime victory over Uconn in the Big East Tourney.
Devendorf nailed what looked like a buzzer-beater three to win the game, stood on top of the sideline, and yelled in excitement to the crowd. That moment, pictured above, is a sight Orange fans who saw it will never forget. The shot didn’t count, as the ball was just on his fingertips when time expired. But Orange fans will never forget that moment, as it epitomized everything Eric Devendorf was as a player for Syracuse.
Devendorf may not be a Syracuse legend like Lawrence Moten, Carmelo Anthony, or Derrick Coleman, but he did leave quite a legacy while playing for SU. He continues that legacy to this day serving as an assistant strength coach.