The 2018-19 Syracuse basketball squad is a victim of history, but it doesn’t have to end that way. In 2019 the team can change their fortunes, here’s how.
No a time machine hasn’t been invented yet, despite it being 2019. But the 2018-19 edition of Syracuse basketball has an opportunity to re-write their own destiny.
Only three times in the history of Jim Boeheim being the head coach of the Syracuse basketball squad has his team lost four or more regular season nonconfernce games. In none of those years did those teams make the big dance.
Well make it four times in history. After losing to the Buffalo Bulls earlier in nonconference play, Syracuse has officially lost four games so far this season before ACC play begins. If history does really repeat itself, then the Orange should just pack in their season because it is already over. But what if it isn’t?
We decided to go back in history and evaluate each of those prior seasons to see what really happened on an individual case basis. After reviewing the facts, we’ll tell you exactly what the Orange has to do in ACC play to re-write history and make it to the tournament for the first time ever with four or more nonconference losses.
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.
2014-15 season
Overall record: 18-13 (126th of 351)
Conference: 9-9 (eighth in the ACC)
Home record: 13-5
Away record: 5-8
Record vs teams in top 25: 2-6
This team had three double digit scorers in Rakeem Christmas (17.5 points per game), Trevor Cooney (13.4 points per game), and Michael Gbinije (12.7 points per game). Remember this is when Gbinije was still listed as a forward, before he made the transition to point guard.
Also this team had future NBA first rounder Chris McCullough on it. He only played 16 games before suffering a serious knee injury that ended his season, so he ended up being one-and-done, or half and done?
When you look at the resume for Syracuse they lost to St. Johns and lost four of their final five games of the season. Also finished .500 in conference and didn’t get enough quality wins on the resume. While the committee is supposed to observe the entire length of the season, it’s hard not to be prisoner of the moment and look at the hot teams, or in this case the cold teams.
2016-17 season
Overall record: 19-15 (143rd of 351)
Conference: 10-8 (seventh in the ACC)
Home record: 17-4
Away record: 2-11
Record vs teams in top 25: 3-5
This was a crazy roller coaster season that saw the highest of the highs (three top-10 wins) and the lowest of the lows (a 33 point nonconference home loss to St. Johns, more on that in a moment).
You can’t say this season wasn’t exciting. Syracuse had four double digit scorers, nearly five with Taurean Thompson just missing the cut (9.2 points per game) sorry to bring up that sensitive subject in the salt city:
- Andrew White III
- A graduate transfer that ended up having the best three point shooting season in Syracuse history, let that simmer for a second. Averaged 18.5 points per game to lead the Orange.
- Tyler Lydon
- Future NBA first round pick Tyler Lydon was second on the team with 13.2 points per game and Jim Boeheim even called him one of the best center prospects he had ever coached.
- Tyus Battle
- Does anyone else remember when Tyus Battle was a third wheel offensively? I sure don’t. Averaged 11.3 points per game and had the Clemson buzzer beater (on the road) which was the first of many clutch shots for Battle throughout his Syracuse career.
- John Gillon
- Speaking of clutch shots, John Gillon will always be remembered for his buzzer beating shot to top No. 10 Duke! Gillon averaged 10.5 points per game on the season.
- UConn (9-4)
- Madison Square Garden against an old rival, the Orange lost a back and forth affair.
- Oregon (9-4)
- After losing to UConn in the opening round of the tournament, Syracuse got what many thought was a golden opportunity in the consolation bracket. Syracuse and Oregon were both favored in their initial matchups but were upset by Iowa and UConn respectively. Sadly Bol Bol was too much and Syracuse got run out of the building.
- Old Dominion (10-3)
- By the name you would think this team isn’t very good, but just because you don’t know the name doesn’t mean the team isn’t very good. Old Dominion is on track to make some noise so far this season.
- Buffalo (12-1)
- There’s nothing shameful about this loss, Buffalo came in undefeated and one of the best teams in the entire country. Syracuse lost 71-59.
- (1981-82, lost three of final four)
- (2014-15, lost four of final five)
- (2016-17, lost six of final nine)
- Syracuse will need at least four top-25 conquests
- At least 10-11 ACC wins
- Be above .500 on the road
- Finish strong
It’d be one thing if Syracuse got upset by one of these teams and then they self destructed, that would look bad on the Orange, but that didn’t happen.
A weird commonality that exists with the prior three Boeheim teams that missed the tournament is the blustery cold ends to to those seasons:
Those who don’t learn history are doomed to repeat it. Finishing strong is that touchy-feely intangible aspect that is considered by the committee and it certainly doomed other Syracuse teams before.
Although it won’t be easy for Syracuse to finish strong this season. In a span of nine days, Syracuse will play four of their final five games (three of which are against top-15 teams in the country: No. 1 Duke, No. 15 UNC, and No. 4 Virginia).
Let’s recap what Syracuse has to do based on history:
If they’re able to check at least a few things off this list, Syracuse should be able to re-write history and make the tournament and as we saw last season, all you need is a ticket to the dance to have a chance of making something happen.
As the words flow from my fingers, it takes me back to that dark moment on Wednesday December 21st vs St. Johns. It felt like the team had given up halfway through the game and it felt disgusting to watch.
Obviously the committee couldn’t overlook that and I can’t blame them one iota. An interesting nugget to consider here is that Syracuse made a crazy run in the second half with some super high quality wins (No. 6 Florida State, No. 9 Virginia, and No. 10 Duke) and that still wasn’t enough.
But I’m sure another factor was the 2-11 road record, absolutely atrocious. So the moral of this story is don’t give the tournament reasons to not include you. The longer those discussions are, the worse it’s going to be for you.
In conclusion
History tells us the ultimate black mark is a horrible loss. A nearly unforgivable sin. The 2016-17 season is a perfect example, Syracuse got absolutely hosed by St. Johns at home and despite Syracuse “making up for it” with three top-10 wins, the committee banished Syracuse to the NIT shadow realm.
That loss could’ve been Cornell who Syracuse has dominated over the last couple of decades. But the Orange barely survived: 63-55. Bullet dodged.
Luckily for Syracuse, they don’t have anything even close to that on their nonconference schedule. Let’s take a look at those losses: