The halls of the Carmelo K. Anthony Center were silent. There were no loud screams coming from the back room like last year, when Syracuse welcomed their uncertain NCAA Tournament fate.

For the first time in four years, the Orange (20-13, 10-8 Atlantic Coast) weren’t sitting on the bubble. As Syracuse’s name popped up as a No. 8 seed on Selection Sunday, it was expected. SU will face No. 9 seed Baylor (19-13, 10-8 Big 12) in the Round of 64 on Thursday in Salt Lake City. Syracuse has been an eight seed once before in its NCAA Tournament history, losing in the first round in 1999.

“That determines a good or bad year,” senior point guard Frank Howard said of making the postseason. “Always been a goal since Day 1 … Definitely always been in the back of our minds. We’re just trying to control what we can control and go out and give everything we have.”

This marks the second-straight NCAA berth for the Orange after they pulled out three wins in five days a year ago to reach the Sweet 16. It’ll be the 34th appearance in the NCAA Tournament for Syracuse under Jim Boeheim in his 43 seasons in charge, and the 4oth berth in program history.

SU began the season with two easy wins before losing two-straight games at Madison Square Garden in mid-November. Its first test ended with a win over then-No. 16 Ohio State on the road, but the Orange added two more nonconference losses in mid-December to Buffalo and Old Dominion at home.

However, the strength of schedule in nonconference play proved to be another bonus toward SU being deserving of an at-large bid. Five of the teams SU faced in nonconference play made the NCAA Tournament: Buffalo, Old Dominion, Northeastern, Oregon and Colgate. It was the hardest the Orange have ever faced, Boeheim added.

TJ Shaw | Staff Photographer

Syracuse had never reached the NCAA Tournament after losing four times in nonconference play. Things looked even more dire after the Orange lost to Georgia Tech in the Carrier Dome on Jan. 12. Two days later, though, the Orange’s season started to turn around.

That’s when Syracuse pulled out a 95-91 overtime win over then-No. 1 Duke, effectively overshadowing its previous struggles. SU’s upset gave it a resume-boosting victory, one other bubble teams wouldn’t have. It helped March Madness become a reality.

“The overall key was winning the two road games against Duke and Ohio State,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. “Two Tournament teams, but also the No. 1 seed. That was the key to us being comfortably in the Tournament.”

From there, the Orange stood pat the rest of ACC play, avoiding bad losses and making plays to win tight games. They picked up an additional ranked win over then-No. 18 Louisville on Feb. 20 to solidify a postseason-bound resume.

“I’m excited to move forward with this team,” Boeheim said. “I think we’re in a better position than we were last year in terms of how we’re playing.”

Tyus Battle missed Syracuse’s two ACC tournament games with a back bruise, but completed his first full day of practice on Sunday. He was “rusty,” Boeheim said, pointing toward his week off as the reason. Battle added that he is close to 100 percent and will play against Baylor.

When Battle returns, the Orange will be at full strength, a team that once ranked as high as No. 15 in the country. Syracuse wouldn’t reach those heights in the rankings again, but did enough to safely make the NCAA Tournament.

Now, all the previous games, the four nonconference losses and the monumental win over Duke are in the past. It’s win or go home. And despite making the Sweet 16 last season, this year’s Syracuse team is different. They’re better.

Published on March 17, 2019 at 6:23 pm

Contact Charlie: csdistur@syr.edu | @charliedisturco