Inside the Loud House
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Syracuse Basketball: Orange can change the history of Jim Boeheim

By Paul A. Esden Jr.

SYRACUSE, NY - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange reacts to game action during the first half against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies at the Carrier Dome on December 29, 2018 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange reacts to game action during the first half against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies at the Carrier Dome on December 29, 2018 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
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1981-82 season

Overall record: 16-13 (128th of 273)

Conference: 7-7 (fifth in the Big East)

Home record: 11-6

Away record: 5-7

Record vs teams in top 25: 1-1

This was the first team in school history (under Jim Boeheim) to lose four or more regular season nonconference games and miss the tournament. If you remember this team had four double digit scorers:

  • Erich Santifer (junior, guard, 17 points per game)
  • Tony Bruin (junior, forward, 14 points per game)
  • Leo Rautins (junior, forward, 13.3 points per game)
  • Ron Payton (senior, forward, 10.7 points per game)

The millennials in the room may see how much of a veteran team this was and say what about one-and-done? Well kiddos that wasn’t a thing back in the 1980’s.

Also you’ll notice this team didn’t have many opportunities to prove themselves, only two top-25 games on their slate. So they were already behind the eight-ball and the tournament evaluation process was a bit different back then. But one of the big problems with this team was how they finished the season: losing three of their final four games of the season.

TRIVIA TIME: does anyone remember who won the 1981-82 National Championship? Michael Jordan and his North Carolina Tar Heels, one of the great college basketball teams of all time.

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