Andy Glockner at SI.com penned a piece previewed the new-look ACC. And there’s some tidbits that definitely stand out:
“(Once UofL joins next season) either Duke, North Carolina, Louisville or Syracuse will finish, at best, in fourth place. Those are all top-10 national programs in terms of prestige, history, current capabilities, etc. Inheriting the old Big East‚Äôs spot on Big Monday is the icing on the cake in terms of national positioning.”
It is pretty devastating to the rest of the middle class in the ACC that it will now have to run through those four schools just to crack into the top seedings of the ACC tourney and regular season standings. Also, interesting how Glockner labels SU a top 10 program for prestige and history. The nation usually looks at Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA, Indiana, Duke, and North Carolina as the blue bloods of the NCAA college landscape in that discussion. But it’s exciting to have a respected national writer put the Orange in that same breath. The ACC’s ability to swoop in on the Big Monday TV window is also absolutely enormous.
His favorite to win the conference:
“After changing my mind somewhere between 20 and 100 times, I‚Äôm going with Syracuse, in large part because I think the Orange have a more favorable unbalanced schedule than Duke. On a neutral floor, I‚Äôm probably taking the Blue Devils head-to-head and Duke may be the ‚Äúbetter‚Äù team, with ample perimeter quality and depth being supplemented by athletic wing slashers in the frontcourt, but Duke has difficult road games at Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse and North Carolina in league play. The Orange don‚Äôt play at UNC or Notre Dame, although they do have a road tilt at Virginia, too. Mix in the unfamiliarity with the Syracuse zone, and I‚Äôll take the Orange, barely, to win the league, with the caveat that Trevor Cooney has to find his jump shot and Tyler Ennis is solid as expected at the point.”
What a statement it would be if the Orange wins the ACC and topples the Heels and Devils in its first season in the new conference. SU has lost some major leadership and scoring in Triche, Southerland and Carter-Williams’ departures. I’m excited about the new, young faces. I’m intrigued by the hunger of a fresh recruiting class. But I’m a little concerned whether SU can put it all together in Year 1 of the ACC enough to win the conference. Then again, getting UNC and Duke at the Dome are going to be as deafening as any games this season anywhere. So, SU has some bullets in its chambers.
The best part of the new ACC?
“As good as Syracuse-Georgetown rivalry games like that could be, stylistically they (and the Big East, in my opinion) had grown stale. Now we get annual (almost) round-robins between Duke, North Carolina, Louisville and Syracuse, with Notre Dame, Pitt and others providing additional foils, especially at home. You have four of the game‚Äôs legendary coaches all in one conference. It should be spectacular, at least as long as K, Jim and Roy want to stick around.”
I disagree that stylistically there was anything stale about SU/Georgetown. There’s nothing like the intensity and passion that poured out between the two schools. Same went for SU/UConn and even when schools like Nova were winning. But it’s a new day, and the matchups against Duke and UNC annually will be great theater as well. It’s the games against Clemson, Wake, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and others that have no juice is what I’m worried about.
But it’s clear: SU is well positioned to make major waves in its first year in the ACC.
Posted: D.A.
7 responses to “Early Love: SI Tabs Syracuse As Preseason Favorite to Win Rugged ACC”
@Terry;
Syracuse’s C.J. Fair voted ACC preseason player of the year; Orange picked to finish 2nd in league.
Wow,tell me again why this isn’t boosting your interest. SI say’s Syracuse will take the league in the first year of competition. WOW!!!!!!!
Hey ACC fans,like I said earlier in the year,”THE NEW KINGS ARE ON THEIR WAY”.
I thought the competition in the Big East was tremendous,but in the ACC the fans will bew watching the junior version of the NBA. All of which is utterly fantastic.
I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t consider SU a top 10 team. They are currently the 6th winningest program in college basketball history (only behind the likes of Kentucky, Duke, NC, Kansas). We’ve been to what 4 or 5 Final fours in the last few decades and have won a national title. I saw some stat that Syracuse only trails Kentucky and Duke in # of wins over the past 5 seasons, I don’t doubt it. Easily a top 10 if not top 5 team
Of course Syracuse is a top 10 program. Top five are (in nt particular order) Duke, UNC, Kansas, Kentucky and UCLA. Who’s the next five? (again, in no special order)…Syracuse, Louisville, Georgetown, Michigan State and Michigan. (Crud, UConn makes it a top 11)
Syracuse has been to the Final Four EVERY Decade since the 70s…that’s 5 decades in a row. Sure it’s only one title, it’s more about being at the top for so long.
Dave,
Would disagree about michigan. UConn has the better program. Michigan program got killed after the fab five an took a dive for awhile.
‘Cuse should be good this season once again. Have to say the biggest issue going to be if our bigs have progressed or not. After that it is the outside shooting concerns. I don’t feel Ennis is a concern at all unless he gets in foul trouble. I don’t think you will see as much sizzle /w him as you did MCW but I feel he will bring a more even play from game to game. One thing that would be interesting to know is if JB is running the 3 stud wings in a starting unit or not. I think I heard Robertson been banged up though. Anyway looking forward to the the 1st look at the squad tonight. Should be good!
Yeah, I would agree with Dave G on every point except Michigan. Aside for last season when we lost to them they have been irrelevant for almost 2 decades. They were decent in the early 90’s (Fab Five era) however they never won anything during that time, not even their own conference. They did win their 1 and only title in 1989. Michigan didn’t even make the tournament from 1998-2009 (that’s 11 years for those who are counting 😉 when they did before and after that they got bounced in the 1st and 2nd round. I would definitely put Uconn up there and the Wolverines back around top 40 ish.
The Orange being tabbed as an early ACC BB favorite is hardly surprising. Of course if Cooney ever grows up in the game he could be a huge difference maker from the arc. There are others in the SU game that must also step up Boards and defense are just as critical as the arc part of the game.Reducing TOs is another must do factor MCW and Triche were great at that. Not sad that either is gone.
Thank God BB is about to start! We’re thrilled SU is named with the blue bloods of college basketball. Thank you Coach! . I went to school with Jim. Swimmers and Basketball shared the same trianing table after practice.The thought that he would make us a dynasty was crazy. He has done it his way..not flashy..not high profile..just good and solid!
He wouldn’t be bullied by the little asshole ms Cantor and just keeps delivering.
Thanks Jim!