Since 2003, a dozen Syracuse men's basketball players have left school early for the NBA Draft.
If only Syracuse basketball players had a crystal ball that forecasted how their NBA careers would pan out, maybe – just maybe – they’d avoid the backlash that comes with a professional tenure that doesn’t unfold exactly as planned.
Especially with the recent influx of one-and-done players, athletes are constantly criticized for leaving multiple years of college eligibility on the table in exchange for money in the NBA, D-League or overseas.
Jim Boeheim has seen a rash of players depart SU early in recent years, but play with minimal success in the professional ranks.
While numerous star players have come and gone, one thing at Syracuse University has remained constant: head coach Jim Boeheim.
Boeheim walked onto SU's campus as a freshman in 1963 and has been there ever since. In his candid autobiography, Bleeding Orange: Fifty Years of Blind Referees, Screaming Fans, Beasts of the East, and Syracuse Basketball, the 39-year head coach reflects on his time at Syracuse and the game he loves.
The quest to New Orleans for a National Championship is over for the Syracuse Orange after a 77-70 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Early foul trouble forced SU out of its typical rotations and the Buckeyes made them pay by getting to the free throw line. Brandon Triche led the Orange with 15 points but the Syracuse offense was unable to get into a rhythm without contributions from Dion Waiters, who faced foul trouble.
A missed Wisconsin 3-point attempt followed by a desperation shot in the games final seconds helped Syracuse keep its season alive.
NOTE: This story originally appeared in The Badger Herald, a student-run newspaper at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mike Fiammetta's original story can be found here.
In every way, Wisconsin brought all they had to the Sweet 16.
Syracuse will be without its starting center, but what's the best way to go about taking down the Orange?
Let me preface this by saying that it’s not easy. Simple. But not easy. The Orange is deep, talented and buck wild in transition. However, despite its bulky record, Syracuse is more prone to a loss than one would suspect. Come tournament time, a team that can do the three tasks listed below has a good chance at pulling an upset over SU like Cincinnati and Notre Dame did.
Commentary: After losing to Cincinnati on Friday night, Syracuse has only one thing left to play for: a national championship
On Friday night in the Big East Tournament semifinals, Cincinnati handed Syracuse its first loss since Jan. 21 at Notre Dame and just its second setback of the season.
Sophomore guard Dion Waiters scored a career-high 28 points, but it wasn't enough as Cincinnati knocked off the top-seeded Orange.
Every bounce went the Bearcats’ way on Friday night at Madison Square Garden in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. Cincinnati started its game against top-seeded Syracuse on a tear, making 8-of-10 three-pointers, hustling for loose balls and taking the Orange out of their desired pace. Syracuse used a full-court press in the second half and some timely shooting to cut the lead, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit, losing 71-68.
Syracuse University seniors Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph end Carrier Dome careers with a win over Louisville on Senior Day.
For the last time in their esteemed Syracuse careers, Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine donned their home white uniforms in front of a loud Carrier Dome crowd. The result was a pretty one for the SU faithful. Behind a strong defensive effort that limited Louisville to 34 percent shooting from the floor, the Orange beat the Cardinals, 58-49.