Syracuse Basketball: Top-10 most exciting games on 2022-23 schedule

Not too long ago, SU Athletics and the Atlantic Coast Conference released the 20-game conference calendar for Syracuse basketball, meaning that the Orange’s complete regular-season slate of 31 contests in the 2022-23 campaign is now known.

The ‘Cuse, in the upcoming stanza, will attempt to rebound from a disappointing 16-17 mark in 2021-22, and the Orange will look to do so with a vastly remade roster that includes several returning starters and veterans, a six-member 2022 recruiting class, and a big-man transfer.

Understandably, a lot of national pundits aren’t super high on the ‘Cuse ahead of 2022-23, although all of us Syracuse basketball fans out there take these sorts of pre-season prognostications with the proverbial grain of salt, right?

In any event, I’m knee-deep in enjoying Syracuse football’s current 2022 season, but at the same time, it will be fun to see Orange hoops get going in early November.

To that end, here are my top-10 battles on the Syracuse basketball 2022-23 schedule.

I’ll preface this list by saying that, naturally, we don’t know how good – or not good – the Orange is going to prove in 2022-23, and the same goes for the team’s opponents in the upcoming term.

My top-10 rankings here are obviously based on personal preferences as well as what national experts, commentators, analysts and others are forecasting for the 2022-23 campaign.

No. 1, January 24 vs. North Carolina
The Tar Heels, in 2021-22 under first-year head coach Hubert Davis, kind of shocked the college basketball world in advancing to the NCAA Tournament championship game this past April, where UNC fell to Kansas.

North Carolina brings back much of its starting rotation, and there is chatter that the Tar Heels could start out the 2022-23 stanza as the No. 1 squad nationwide in the pre-season top-25 polls.

Hopefully, the JMA Wireless Dome will be ready to rock when North Carolina visits Central New York.

No. 2, February 18 vs. Duke
In 2022-23, Syracuse basketball faces the ACC’s two biggest brands, North Carolina and Duke, only once each, and at home. I like that.

This coming season, there is no more Coach K on the sidelines for the Blue Devils. Incoming first-year head coach Jon Scheyer has done wonders on the recruiting trail for Duke in the 2022 and 2023 classes, but let’s see how he fares on the court.

The Blue Devils roster, by the way, will feature 2022 five-star big man Kyle Filipowski, who took an official visit to the Hill but ended up committing to Duke.

No. 3, November 29 at Illinois
The Orange will travel to Illinois for what I believe will be the toughest non-conference affair for the ‘Cuse in 2022-23. This game is part of the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

Illinois has been one of the best groups in the Big Ten Conference over the past few years, and bracketologists envision the Fighting Illini competing for a top-six seed in the 2023 Big Dance.

The Illinois line-up will include 2022 four-star forward Ty Rodgers, who held an Orange offer, and 2022 four-star point guard Skyy Clark, who had received interest from the ‘Cuse after he de-committed from Kentucky but then ultimately picked Illinois.

No. 4, January 30 vs. Virginia
The Cavaliers weren’t up to their usual standards of recent seasons in 2021-22, but ACC and national experts seem to believe that UVA will be a top-three or a top-four team in the conference this coming stanza.

It would prove huge if Syracuse basketball could knock off a presumed strong Virginia group in Central New York.

No. 5, December 10 vs. Georgetown
I have no idea whether the Hoyas will be improved in 2022-23, as they were awful last season but still managed to beat the Orange by a couple of points in Washington, D.C.

Normally, I’d put Georgetown coming to the Dome at No. 1 or No. 2 on my list here, but with the Hoyas not a great program these days, and the ‘Cuse being under .500 a term ago, I’m going with No. 5.

No. 6, January 14 vs. Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish is expected to be in the top half of the ACC standings in 2022-23, and super early mock-bracket projections have Notre Dame contending for a berth in the 2023 March Madness.

Plus, Notre Dame’s line-up will feature 2022 five-star guard J.J. Starling, a CNY native who had Syracuse basketball in his top five before committing to the Fighting Irish.

No. 7, January 16 at Miami
In 2021-22, the Orange blew massive leads in both of its regular-season bouts with the Hurricanes, and those losses really irritated me.

To have a chance at post-season play this coming term, the ‘Cuse is going to need some quality road wins, so why not get back at Miami down in the Sunshine State? Plus, the Hurricanes are viewed as a possible top-25 unit in 2022-23.

No. 8, November 21 vs. Richmond
Hi, 1991. Syracuse basketball fans will never forget how Richmond became the first No. 15 seed to knock off a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, as the Spiders did it to the Orange more than 30 years ago.

This game is part of the 2022 Empire Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y., and the ‘Cuse fan base always travels well to New York City. Richmond was a pretty good team in 2021-22, and I’d love to see Syracuse basketball smoke the Spiders in the Big Apple.

No. 9, November 15 vs. Colgate
The Raiders went to the NCAA Tournament this past spring and, as a No. 14 seed, gave No. 3 seed Wisconsin a scare in the round of 64.

Closer to home, in 2021-22, Colgate stormed back from a 15-point, first-half deficit on the Hill to the Orange in a non-conference collision, and the Raiders ended up beating Syracuse basketball by 15 points after connecting on a ridiculous 18 3-pointers. It’s payback time.

No. 10, December 20 vs. Pittsburgh
Well, the Panthers may not be all that great in 2022-23, but I’m ready for this interesting game at the Dome. Here’s why. First and foremost, Orange freshman guard Judah Mintz was once committed to Pittsburgh but ended up reopening his recruitment.

This past March, Mintz committed to the ‘Cuse, and there’s an excellent chance that he’ll be in head coach Jim Boeheim’s starting rotation to commence 2022-23.

What’s more, New York native Dior Johnson will be suiting up for Pittsburgh, and I’m curious to see if the Syracuse basketball fan base gives him grief.

Johnson originally gave a verbal commitment to the Orange, then backed out, committed to Oregon, then backed out of that, and now he’s with the Panthers.