Syracuse Orange Season Review.
By: Mike Lindsley
The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team finished year one in the ACC with a 27-4 mark. There were plenty of heart-stopping moments and thrills along the way, as well as some bad moments. Here is a look back.
Best moment: Tyler Ennis nailing a 35-foot 3-pointer for the win at Pittsburgh. We are all still trying to figure out how he made it.
Best win: February 1, 2014. Duke. Carrier Dome. Sell-out crowd. 91-89 in overtime. This game had everything and it was played at the highest level possible. This game was also the game of the season in college basketball.
Worst loss: Boston College and Georgia Tech at home. Take your pick.
Best player: C.J. Fair. Say all you want about Tyler Ennis, who had a remarkable freshman campaign. But C.J. Fair was, by and large, the most consistent. He made all the key buckets at all the key times, from his running jumper in Maui against Minnesota to key 2nd half streaks against ACC teams. Fair has been nothing short of the man all season long.
Most disappointing player: Rakeem Christmas. Christmas still has not developed into a consistent, versatile inside man and his career at Syracuse is winding down. This was the year for Christmas to break-out. He showed glimpses, especially when DaJuan Coleman went down for the year with a knee injury, as Rak built confidence with Jerami Grant and rebounded and scored more. But then Christmas again became Christmas, the player you never can predict how he will perform. It is still troubling to many how Christmas, with a 6-9, 230-pound frame with length and athleticism, cannot do more on a basketball floor.
The Boeheim Effect: One thing that happened in the new conference was a new Jim Boeheim developed in terms of his pure love of the game and intensity. From remarks about how the ACC schedules games to his tirade at Duke (two technical fouls and an ejection) to barking at ACC reporters, Boeheim showed a new, profound passion for the game he has been around for so long. Credit the Duke and Coach K factor or playing North Carolina or wanting to prove Syracuse’s worth in the new league or whatever you want. However you slice it, Boeheim was on fire this season and it was fun to watch.
