Syracuse Basketball: Some fans are REALLY optimistic about this season

The Syracuse basketball 2021-22 campaign is finally here, as the Orange was set to host Lafayette in the season opener on Tuesday night in Central New York.

As far as pre-season prognostications from national and Atlantic Coast Conference pundits go, the ‘Cuse is viewed as a likely bubble team for the 2022 Big Dance, as well as a group that will finish in the middle of the league’s standings during the regular season.

We’ll have to wait and see whether those mild expectations for the Orange ring true, however, the ‘Cuse does have a lot of exciting things brewing in 2021-22.

The Boeheim brothers, senior shooting guard Buddy and graduate student forward Jimmy, are suiting up together for father, the legendary head coach Jim Boeheim.

Syracuse basketball has a five-star incoming freshman in forward Benny Williams. The roster is loaded with perimeter threats, and the line-up is a mostly veteran one.

Let’s see how some fans think Syracuse basketball will fare in 2021-22.

Ahead of the season opener versus Patriot League member Lafayette, I took to social media and asked my fellow Orange fans via a Facebook group how many wins they believe the ‘Cuse will get during the 2021-22 regular stanza (11 non-conference games and 20 ACC contests).

Naturally, some fans are more bullish than others. One fan says the ‘Cuse will notch a 27-4 regular-season record, which would prove a tremendous achievement, given that Syracuse basketball has a really challenging slate this term.

Another fan chimed in with a 25-6 prognostication. Again, that would totally work for me, as the Orange definitely wouldn’t sweat out Selection Sunday next spring.

In another optimistic projection, a fan says that the ‘Cuse will collect 23 victories against just eight defeats.

Then, a bunch of fans predicted a 22-9 mark, which also would likely mean that Syracuse basketball wouldn’t reside on the bubble for March Madness.

Finally, another large contingent of fans (myself included here) thinks that the Orange is likely to register either a 21-10 record or a 20-11 mark.

With 20 or 21 regular-season triumphs, the ‘Cuse could be on the bubble, although it really depends on whether some of those wins were against marquee opponents at neutral sites or on the road.

Furthermore, we’d have to see how Syracuse basketball performed in the ACC’s post-season tournament, where it could tally a few successes on a neutral court.

By and large, I get the sense that 22 victories or more in the regular campaign should have the Orange safely in the field of 68, while 21 or fewer conquests may result in the ‘Cuse having work to do in the ACC Tournament to feel good about getting a Big Dance invite.

Then again, I’m cool with Syracuse basketball going 27-4 in the regular season, as one fan projected, and perhaps contending for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That would bring back memories, for me, of glorious ‘Cuse regular stanzas like 2009-10 and 2011-12.