The Syracuse Orangemen have more expectations heading into the 2011-2012 college basketball campaign than they’ve had in several years. They are only ranked 8th in Pre-Season USA Today/Coaches Poll, which is shocking considering they are true Final Four contenders.
Syracuse will have one of the strongest and deepest backcourts in the country this year. They are led by red shirt senior Scoop Jardine, who led the Big East in assists last year and is a fantastic scorer. Scoop will be the key for the Orange. When he gets hot it seems like he can score at will both at the rim and behind the arc. However last year he made some timely mistakes that showed he was not quite ready to make the jump to the NBA. But that is a good thing for Scoop who plays with a chip on his shoulder and will surely used that as motivation this off season. Along Scoop will be junior Brandon Triche. Triche is also a streaky scorer that Syracuse will need to count on in high pressure situations to make good decisions. The third key to the backcourt is sophomore Dion Waiters. Again another streaky scorer, but his upside is unlimited. He is a terrific athlete who got stronger this offseason. He has the ability to create his own shot, shoot from three, and also get to the rim and finish. To round out their depth, they have freshmen Trevor Cooney & Michael Carter-Williams who both are impressive recruits that will push for time.
The three spot is a shoe-in for senior Chris Joseph. Joseph was a Third Team All Big East selection last year, even with his injury that limited his production down the stretch. Joseph is another player for the Orange that can get to the rim and finish with the best of them. He struggled from the three point line last year, but I expect him to be back on track. Sophomore C.J. Fair may push for a starting job with the four and five up for grabs. Fair is a great defender and athlete with a great wingspan that fits Boeheim’s 2-3 zone well. He showed poise as a Freshmen last year in big games, and Boeheim has already been quoted as saying that Fair has a much improved jump shot.
The big question mark for Syracuse is going to be who steps up down low to replace Rick Jackson. Freshmen Keita and Fab Melo both had up and down years, but showed great potential. Add to the mix top ten recruit Rakeem Christmas. I expect to see Boeheim play with the lineups early in the year and give all three a chance to step up into the center role.
The key for Syracuse is going to be their depth. They have a lot of strong leadership with quality upperclassmen, a crop of talented young players, and a hall of fame coach that piles on wins year after year. Being ranked 18th in the pre-season does not give the talent, depth, and experience on this team justice. Look for Syracuse to contend for a Big East title in their final season in the conference and make a solid push for a Final Four appearance.