By: Mike Lindsley
Champions are not crowned before or during conference play. They are not awarded anything in January or February or even March, when all the Madness springs to life. April is in fact the month when college basketball's champion reigns.
And while we have plenty of time until then, we still look at the polls daily and are constantly reminded of how important a high RPI rating is and watch nightly teams that have Final Four aspirations.
Obviously, in Central New York, Jimmy Boeheim's team has exactly that. A marvelous blend thus far of freshman talent and a shooter holding his own and a front court man off the bench likely headed for the NBA next year plus the savvy senior who is as steady as steady can be.
Perfect? No. Unbeatable? No. Ennis-Cooney-Grant-Fair doing damage? Yes. #1 in the country? Yes.
It is too early for anything, and obviously if you are a Top 10-20 team in college hoops you want to play for that illustrious #1-seed, as opposed to worrying about rankings in early 2014 or any year, which puts you closer to home in the Big Dance. This year, Syracuse would go through Buffalo and New York City's Madison Square Garden if the #1-seed is theirs.
The point is, while it is early, it is tough not to get excited about what this Syracuse team can do in the ACC regular season and beyond. And the games right now are super important for what was mentioned above. A #1-seed in the East greatly helps Syracuse's chances to arrive in the Final Four for a second straight year and give the old ball coach another shot at a second national title.
So, currently, while the Arizona and Duke and Michigan State teams are in the top bunch among many others, SU is right now #1 in the land (yes, still early) and here is why:
1. Schedule. Syracuse ripped Villanova at home after being down 25-7, beat a tough St. John's outfit at MSG and won against three quality teams in Maui for the tournament title. One of those teams, athletic Baylor, was a Top 20 team at the time. They also overmatched Indiana at home. Put the Orange's schedule up against just about anyone in the country. And the full ACC slate has yet to be completed.
2. Defense. SU's is better than everyone in the country, and that includes the always defensive minded Ohio State, Michigan State and Wisconsin (even though those clubs play man-to-man and not zone). The 2-3 zone is as long as it has ever been and Tyler Ennis has adapted quickly.
3. Scoring. Syracuse can score more than those above-mentioned teams, can score with anyone in the country and the Orange are one of the best transition teams in America.
4. Guards. At point guard, after Marcus Smart at Oklahoma State, who is better than Tyler Ennis? Need a shooter? Trevor Cooney is around 50% from the land and is having a total renaissance season. Guards win games in March first and foremost, and SU has them.
5. Coaching. Jimmy B knows his team and knows the ACC will have to adjust more to him and the zone and the length and the talent more than the other way around. How many coaches in the country equal Boeheim, not to mention his staff? Not many equal or better him, and you have to really reach, such as Coach K at Duke.
So there you have it. Syracuse isn't the 2014 national champ just yet. Nor or they a Final Four representative or a champion of the ACC regular season or tournament this season. All of that can wait. The Orange have plenty left to play in order to achieve those marks.
But right now? The Syracuse Orange basketball team is #1 in the country. And they have a shot to achieve anything because they are pretty darn good at everything.
Even if it's a little early.
