Syracuse Basketball: What foes we want to see in an Orange-hosted event

Syracuse basketball is looking at hosting a multi-team event, and Orange fans have chimed in on which squads they wish the ‘Cuse to face.

The decision by NCAA officials to decrease the number of games that Syracuse basketball and its peers around the country can play in the 2020-21 stanza, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, has forced the Orange to completely revamp its schedule for the upcoming term.

The ‘Cuse can suit up in a maximum of 27 contests this season. Media reports indicate that Syracuse basketball and its fellow Atlantic Coast Conference members are anticipating to play 20 league affairs, leaving up to seven non-conference duels.

We’ve already expressed our interest in having Rutgers on the docket for the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Assuming travel protocols allow it, the Orange is supposed to host former Big East Conference rival Georgetown from the Carrier Dome.

Matt Norlander of CBS Sports recently tweeted that the ‘Cuse and LSU have agreed to not compete against each other in the 2020 Gotham Classic.

Norlander’s colleague at CBS Sports, Jon Rothstein, also tweeted that, according to head coach Jim Boeheim, Syracuse basketball “is attempting to host a three-team MTE early in the season.”

An MTE, by the way, is a multi-team event, such as the pre-season tournaments, like the Gotham Classic, that the Orange often plays in prior to conference match-ups.

After Rothstein’s tweet came out, I asked ‘Cuse fans on social media which opponents they would like Syracuse basketball to square off with during a potential MTE on the Hill. The responses are fun!

First of all, I decided to throw out a few options, so I went with Iona – now coached by Boeheim’s former Orange assistant and two-time national champion, Rick Pitino – and St. John’s, which would prove a nice old-school Big East bout. Some other ‘Cuse fans also brought up St. John’s, too.

Due to the pandemic, foes from New York state probably make the most sense. So I got St. Bonaventure as a response, as well as Buffalo, a team that has performed admirably in recent stanzas, including a besting of our beloved Orange in December of 2018.

Then there’s Niagara, whose head coach, Greg Paulus, played quarterback for Syracuse football. Colgate and Cornell, as a result of decisions by their respective conference leaders, are not going to happen in 2020-21, which stinks.

A couple of fans also gave responses regarding teams from outside of New York state. While these possible games won’t most likely occur amid the pandemic, Penn State got mentioned, as well as UMass, Michigan and Washington, which is led by long-time Orange assistant Mike Hopkins.

Heck, I’d love to watch Syracuse basketball go toe to toe with Villanova, Seton Hall, Providence or Connecticut, but those are logistically challenging encounters.