In losing three big-time players who combined to average 61% of their team’s offensive production, the Syracuse Orange are undergoing a bit of a rebuilding year. They will once again be a stout defensive team but finding scoring is going to be a concern.
SYRACUSE ORANGE
Last Season: 2nd, 14-4 in ACC, 28-6 overall
Predicted ACC Finish: 6th
Projected Depth Chart
C: C.J. McCullough (Fr)/Chinoso Obokoh (Fr)/DaJuan Coleman (Jr)
PF: Rakeem Christmas (Sr)/Tyler Roberson (So)
G/F: Michael Gbinije (Jr)/B.J. Johnson (So)
SG: Trevor Cooney (Jr)/Ron Patterson (So)
PG: Kaleb Joseph (Fr)
Gone: F-C.J. Fair, PG-Tyler Ennis, F-Jerami Grant, C-Baye Moussa Keita
2014-2015 Outlook:
Perimeter sniper Trevor Cooney is the lone returning player to average more than six points per game last year. By process of elimination, he needs to become the go-to offensive option for ‘Cuse which will require him to expand his offensive game.
With Tyler Ennis being one-and-done, Jim Boeheim hands the keys of his offense to freshman, Kaleb Joseph. He is more athletic than Ennis but not quite the same floor leader. With no true backup point guard, Michael Gbinije should once again see minutes at the point though he figures to start on the wing where he needs to be a more aggressive offensively.
A lack of a true low post scorer has hurt the Orange the past couple seasons and that is once again a worry. Rakeem Christmas continues to be a factor on the boards and as a shot blocker but his offensive game hasn’t developed like most expected. Highly-touted freshman, Chris McCullough is in a similar mold where he relies more on his length and athleticism but should be a major contributor right away.
After that, minutes are totally up for grabs. Tyler Roberson, B.J. Johnson, and Ron Patterson were seldom-used as freshmen but should see an increase in minutes this year. Chinoso Obokoh redshirted last year but could work himself into the equation inside especially since DaJuan Coleman is expected to be sidelined for a couple of months as his surgically-repaired knee is not yet healed.
With plenty of length and athleticism in their frontcourt, the patented Syracuse 2-3 zone should cause headaches for opposing offenses. Boeheim will have his share of headaches with his own offense though as Joseph transitions to running the point at a higher level and the athletic forwards attempt to replace the offense left behind by C.J. Fair and Jerami Grant.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/20 vs. California (2K Classic)
11/21 vs. Texas/Iowa (2K Classic)
12/2 at Michigan (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
12/6 vs. St. John’s
12/14 vs. Louisiana Tech
12/20 at Villanova
12/28 vs. Long Beach State
OTHER ACC PREVIEWS:
#7 FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
#14 GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS
AAC PREVIEWS:
#1 UCONN HUSKIES
#7 UCF KNIGHTS
#8 SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS
#9 HOUSTON COUGARS
#10 TULANE GREEN WAVE
#11 EAST CAROLINA PIRATES
SEC PREVIEWS:
#1 KENTUCKY WILDCATS
BIG 12 PREVIEWS:
#1 KANSAS JAYHAWKS
#2 TEXAS LONGHORNS
PAC-12 PREVIEWS:
#1 ARIZONA WILDCATS
#4 UCLA BRUINS
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.