By NICK ENDRES
The Syracuse men’s basketball team is heading to the Final Four in Houston this weekend. Normally this would never be a surprise in college basketball. Jim Boeheim has now led the Orange to five Final Fours. But this was nowhere near a “normal” season for the Orange.
For the vast majority, the Orange didn’t deserve to make the NCAA Tournament, and now they’re just two wins away from cutting down the nets in Houston.
When Selection Sunday rolled around most bracketologists had Syracuse in the first four out. The list includes guys like ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, and CBS’s own “Syracuse hater” Doug Gottlieb. In a few ways they were right.
At that time the Orange had lost five out of their last six games and were ranked No. 188 according to KenPom for playing a weak non-conference schedule. But, if I may recall, Syracuse played UCONN, Texas A&M, and Wisconsin all in row winning the Battle 4 Atlantis and losing a heart breaker to Wisconsin at home in overtime. First and foremost which is why I think the KenPom rankings are bogus to begin with.
Usually a bubble team can ride momentum into the NCAA Tournament and go on a cinderella-like run. Not Syracuse. Not these Orange. Syracuse lost 72–71 against old Big East foe Pittsburgh. People thought for sure that was their death sentence. But, come Selection Sunday, the Orange were rewarded a 10-seed in the Midwest Region. Even Boeheim was surprised.
Syracuse got a first-round date with the Atlantic 10’s Dayton who they handled easily winning 70–51. Thanks to a stunning 15–2 upset of Michigan State, the Orange played No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee State in the second round who they beat handedly 75–50. Next up was fellow bubble team No. 11 seed Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. Syracuse made a late push to beat the Zags 63–60 to move on to play vaunted ACC foe and No.1 seed Virginia in the Elite 8. Due to a 27–8 run in the second half the Orange upset top seed Virginia to move on to the Final Four.
Now you have these critics, analysts, and fans all around saying Syracuse had an “easy” road through the tournament. But, at the end of the day, Syracuse had no control over its NCAA Tournament path. It’s not their fault upsets happen. It’s called March Madness for a reason. The Orange beat whoever was put forth and that’s what you’re supposed to do come tournament time.
So to say Syracuse is a Cinderella team is an overstatement. They’re just a hungry underestimated team with heart unlike any other. Michael Gbinije put it best after their Sweet 16 win versus Gonzaga, “We knew we deserved to be here, and we’re showing it,” Gbinije said. “Thanks for the motivation.”
