The word surrounding Syracuse basketball this year has been “bubble” more so than anything else. For a while, we got away from the bubble talk as the Orange entered the top 25 following the Battle 4 Atlantis, but after struggles and Jim Boeheim’s suspension, the Orange went right back on the bubble. And have stayed there ever since, or so we thought. Every Syracuse fan hung on with every win and every loss as the Orange navigated through the ACC slate. It had been mostly wins, as SU had picked up 8 of 9 at one point. But there was still this insistence on the bubble.
But at this point, it is a misconception. Syracuse was not on the bubble as it made its run. Now, after losses to Louisville and Pittsburgh, it is possible the Orange is working its way back towards the bubble, but it is not there yet. As of now, Syracuse is still firmly in the NCAA Tournament field. Barring losses to inferior teams, NC State and Florida State, the Orange is in, and on its way back to March Madness. ESPN’s bracketologist Joe Lunardi and CBS bracket projector Jerry Palm both have the Orange at 10 seeds, right on the fringe of the Tournament field, but Syracuse is safe.
Let’s take a look at all the indicators:
- Syracuse is 51st in the RPI
- Key Wins:
- @ Duke
- Notre Dame
- UCONN
- Texas A&M
- Bad Losses
- @ St. John’s
- 3 wins vs RPI top 25
- 5 wins vs RPI top 50
- Strength of Schedule: 44
There you go, some of the facts laid out. This is a team that looks safe on paper. Yeah, that loss to St. John’s sure looks terrible, especially when the Red Storm has only won one game since the mid-December matchup with the Orange, but balance it out with a win at Cameron Indoor Stadium, one of the hardest places to win in all of college basketball. Texas A&M has slipped, but at one point was a top 5 team in the country and remains in the AP Top 25.
The resume looks good on paper, even if the Orange doesn’t always pass the eye test on the court. Syracuse fans have worried about the bubble for weeks, when really, they didn’t have too much to worry about. Barring a loss to a team worse than the Orange– NC State– or a team it has already beaten– Florida State– Syracuse is on its way back to the tourney following a one year absence due to a post season ban.
Posted By: Seth Goldberg
2 responses to “Is Syracuse Basketball Really On The Bubble?”
Good stuff Seth…decisive…facts to back your position.
BUT a team is either totally OFF the bubble or it’s on. We’re 18-10 and lost our last 2.
We showed no improvement vs a PITT team that we previously played on the road and without Boeheim.
As you say, “Barring a loss to a team worse than the Orange…” Well at home we needed OT recently to dispatch VaTech.
Now we just have to beat NC ST at home and FLa St at THEIR place…but don’t the Noles have an RPI in the 60s?
From recent play, I just don’t see a team where it’s a foregone conclusion we beat those 2. But let’s say we do and lose to UNC.
We are 20-11 entering the ACC tourney…and lose our first game///1 and done. How you feeling? Queasy?? A bit bubbly??
Here’s another wrench in the works….Gbinije, Richardson, or Lydon sustains a major ankle sprain vs NC ST. An injury to 1 of those 3
puts us in a different light to a selection committee.
Many speak of the last 4 in or out when talking bubble….8 seats at least on the bubble boat. That’s half a conference and why
I say, if you’re not completely off the bubble, YOU’RE ON IT! And barring a win over UNC, that’s where we’ll be 2 weeks from now.
Hey OrangeInVA,
Thanks for reading. At this point I think the Orange is off the bubble, of course this is always a fluid situation. IF Syracuse loses the last three and is riding a 5 game losing streak into the ACC Tournament, they certainly would be on the bubble, and more likely on the outside looking in. I was just saying that if the Orange plays all right and beats two teams that they should conceivably beat, then the Orange, I believe, is firmly in the field, and maybe you pull out a win (or two) in the ACC Tournament to give you a little bump. Right now, I think ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Orange as top team on his “Last Four Byes” list, which means a win this weekend would likely bump them up off that section. To me, that seems to be in.
Thanks again for reading, always enjoy getting comments and conversation.