2021-2022 Syracuse Basketball Recap
It was a rough year for the Orange. The first losing season under Jim Boeheim, key injuries and a missed NCAA Tournament. Here are the highs and lows from the season and what’s to come.
Win of the year:
It took two overtimes, but Syracuse outlasted Indiana 112-110 at home on 11-30-22. Every basket and every punch scored and thrown by Indiana was answered by the Orange. Hoosiers star Trayce Jackson-Davis was incredible. He scored 31 points, collected 16 rebounds and blocked three shots. Davis led his team to the NCAA Tournament this season and should be a Top 10 NBA pick if at least one general manager knows what he’s doing.
Worst losses/lowest points:
Losses to Colgate and Georgetown. Sure, the Raiders made the NCAA Tournament and won the Patriot League Tournament, but giving up 100 points to them on your home Dome floor was inexcusable. Georgetown didn’t win a Big East game, so there’s that.
Team MVP:
Buddy Boeheim. The best shooter and scorer and most consistent player. He went through tough spots when defenses started really bringing it and changing things up often with different looks. Buddy, however, battled through. He scored 20 or more 13 times and hit the 30 mark twice. Buddy averaged 19.2 points per game. Remember when many people said he only has played a lot because his Dad is the head coach? Foolish take. Buddy played a ton because he is really good. SU’s best player, indeed.
Missing ingredients:
The Orange lacked three things all year. Athleticism, talent and defense. That’s why they missed playing in a postseason tournament.
Breakthrough player:
Jesse Edwards. Edwards really grew at both ends of the floor. He manned the middle in the 2-3 zone and enhanced his skill set on offense immensely. Edwards, however, fractured his left wrist in a win over Boston College on February 8. It was Syracuse’s fourth straight win and things started looking bright for the Orange to make their typical run. Without Edwards, SU got crushed on the boards at both ends many times and its depth took a big hit. This was one of the more devastating injures in college basketball this season considering the rise of the player and the timing of it.
Coach K vs. JB, the final time.
97-72. Duke smoked Syracuse. 2-26-22 was the date. Syracuse, NY. The Blue Devils raced out to a 14-0 lead and never looked back. But even for Syracuse fans who left the Dome disappointed, it was a historical game to be at. Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim coached against each other for the final time on a college campus. Duke would later top SU in the ACC Tournament in a thriller, 88-79. Buddy Boeheim missed that game thanks to throwing a punch against Florida State in the game before. How many more years will Jim Boeheim coach after his dear friend departs? Don’t worry about it. He will tell us. He will walk away when he wants, which is the way it should be for the all-time face of the program.
Best performance:
Cole Swider. Swider went off at North Carolina in an 88-79 OT loss on February 28. He shot 14-21 from the floor and 7-11 from 3. He simply couldn’t be stopped. The former Villanova product took some time to get it going this season, but once he did, he was fantastic. This performance by Swider was something else.
What’s next?
Everybody can come back thanks to the COVID year save Jimmy Boeheim, who came in and had a nice year for Dad and the Orange. Will anyone come back? Will Buddy run it back with Pops one more time? Plus, you have the transfer portal which can go both ways. John Bol Ajak and Frank Anselem enter their junior seasons. Benny Williams enters his sophomore campaign. Jesse Edwards will be a senior, as will Symir Torrence, who showed nice flashes and quickness. Will Joe Girard come back or transfer or try to play professionally overseas? Cole Swider is in the same boat. This is life in college basketball now. So many options. So many decisions to be made. So many questions.
What Syracuse needs:
Enough players to come back to turn this thing around, more athleticism and talent and better defense. The freshman class is promising but no one is an immediate star like we all thought Benny Williams was a year ago coming to Syracuse. 
