I have little to say – what more could the ‘Cuse do this season to surpass my expectations?
On the road against Florida, Kansas and Memphis in the non-con, they took care of them all.
After a swift rise into college basketball’s top 10, they hit their swoon during the Big East gauntlet, falling 5 out of 7 times. (By contrast, however, Pitt appears to be hitting its swoon now.) Yet they rebounded to stomp the teams they should have stomped during the close of the schedule, defeating their mirror-image Marquette team to close the year.
And you, of course, remember, the greatest game of all time. In Madison Square Garden, two ferocious rivals, the Deans of the Big East, and – until the Johnnies return to prominence – the kings of New York City basketball: UConn and Syracuse, battled through six overtimes, and somehow, some way, Syracuse triumphed. Jim Boeheim said it was the most proud he’d ever been of any group of players. And for us fans, it’s difficult to argue. (As unfathomable as that might be.)
And still, they play on. Tonight, our heroes take on an Oklahoma squad boasting a ton of talent and the game’s best player, Blake Griffin.
Griffin is going to get his 25 and 15 inside the Zone, indeed, the zone always gives up a few more offensive boards than it should. The game rests, as it always does – brilliantly, perhaps – on Oklahoma’s perimeter. If the Sooners hoist 40 threes (The Arizona State strategy), they’ll lose. If they run everything through the Griffins, taking smart threes, they may win.
For Syracuse, it’s as simple as that. Like Jimmy, we’re proud of the team, and we’re proud of him for being so close to 800. And like anyone, we’re ready to hop aboard the gravy train, as long as the Cuse still plays, as long as they’re still in the house. Go Syracuse.
