Syracuse Orange
2020-21 record: 18-10, 9-7 in the ACC
Head coach: Jim Boeheim
Tenure at Syracuse: 45th season
Career coaching record: 982-409
Home court: Carrier Dome
Starters: G Buddy Boeheim, G Joe Girard III, F Cole Swider, F Benny Williams, C Jesse Edwards
Bench: G Niko Ruffin, G Symir Torrence, F Jimmy Boeheim, C Bourama Sidibe, C Jon Bol Ajak
Overview: Syracuse is going to be a formidable team this season. While only two starters are returning—senior guard Buddy Boeheim, coach Jim Boeheim's son, and junior guard Joe Girard III—coach Boeheim's impressive recruitment list could cultivate one of the more remarkable teams that the Carrier Dome has seen in years.
Last season, forwards Quincy Guerrier, Alan Griffin and Marek Dolezaj were regulars in the starting five. All three were towering presences on the court and each played a separate but vital role. Defensively, Guerrier and Griffin were keys to a strong season as Guerrier led the team in rebounds (8.4 per contest) while putting up 13.7 points per match. Griffin, a transfer from Illinois, led the Orange in blocks—averaging 1.6 per match with a season-high of seven at the Virginia Tech game—while recording 13.3 points per game.
Dolezaj is perhaps the team's most significant loss. The Slovakian forward played four seasons for the Orange and boasted a field goal percentage of 54.4% in that span. Though he was not Syracuse's top scorer, Dolezaj's absence leaves a gap to be filled in leadership and basketball IQ.
Working hard to see those needs filled, Boeheim brought in consensus four-star recruit Benny Williams, Marquette transfer Symir Torrence and Villanova transfer Cole Swider. Also joining them is coach Boeheim's oldest son, Jimmy Boeheim, a graduate transfer from Cornell, making this season a true family affair. Williams is Syracuse's sole recruit from the class of 2021, and it is clear that the Bowie, Md., native will make a dent on the court. Swider, on the other hand, played off the bench at Villanova but still put up impressive stats for a top-tier program, averaging 5.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last season.
Torrence and Jimmy are both impressive players in their own right. The former lacked starts at Marquette and the latter has not played college basketball since the 2019-20 season after the Ivy League canceled the 2020-21 campaign due to COVID-19. Instead, filling out the starting lineup will likely be junior Jesse Edwards, who at 6-foot-11 will be invaluable to the team's defensive play.
In terms of conference play, the preseason ACC media poll ranks Syracuse at seven, the same spot in which it finished last season. However, considering the Orange's impressive lineup, it is possible that they could climb even higher this season.
Team ceiling: Boeheim’s starting five lives up to its potential. The Orange place well in the ACC standings and again are nationally competitive by advancing to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.
Team floor: Syracuse struggles defensively as the new starting lineup does not hold end up on that end of the floor. As a result, Syracuse sinks lower into the ACC ranks.
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