Amanda Knapp
Syracuse basketball has a long and storied history, with the team first fielded in 1916-17. The team rose to national prominence in the early 20th century, with multiple tournament appearances and championship wins. However, their participation in the March Madness tournament has been inconsistent. In 2024, Syracuse had a successful regular season, winning 20 games, but ultimately fell short in the ACC tournament and missed out on March Madness for the third consecutive year. In 2025, Syracuse again failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. While the team has shown promise, with key wins and a talented roster, making it to March Madness is a challenging feat.
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What You'll Learn
Syracuse's path to March Madness
Syracuse basketball has a long and storied history, with a national prominence dating back to the mid-1980s. While the team has experienced success and recognition over the years, their participation in the March Madness tournament has been inconsistent.
In recent years, Syracuse has faced challenges in their quest to secure a spot in the March Madness tournament. In 2024, the team had a promising start, winning every game they were expected to win. However, they fell short of achieving any marquee wins, which left them outside the bubble for tournament consideration. Despite this, analysts mapped out a potential path for Syracuse to still make it to March Madness that season.
The suggested path for Syracuse to qualify for March Madness involved emulating the previous year's performance of the Pittsburgh Panthers. The Panthers had a 21-10 record, won an ACC Tournament game, and secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament as an 11th seed. With a similar conference landscape, this was considered the minimum standard for Syracuse to aim for. Specifically, Syracuse was expected to win at least four out of their next five games, with a stretch of difficult clashes against Georgia Tech, NC State, and Virginia Tech.
Additionally, Syracuse had to prioritize beating Notre Dame and Louisville, the only two ACC teams with losing records at the time. While a victory against UNC would be impressive, a win over Clemson would also suffice to demonstrate Syracuse's potential for March Madness. The final game against Clemson was not considered a make-or-break situation, as Clemson was a tournament lock, and Syracuse had already proven their mettle.
Unfortunately, despite their efforts, Syracuse did not qualify for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. They needed a deep run in the ACC Tournament but fell short, losing to NC State by 18 points in the second round. This marked the third consecutive year that Syracuse missed out on the tournament. However, their performance in the 2023-24 season, with 20 regular-season wins, was still considered a highly successful campaign for the team.
While Syracuse's path to March Madness in 2024 did not come to fruition, the team has shown promise and a commitment to improving their performance. With a rich basketball history and a passionate fan base, Syracuse will undoubtedly continue to strive for a return to the prestigious tournament.
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Syracuse's NCAA Tournament history
Syracuse Orange basketball has a rich history in the NCAA Tournament, with a total of 37 appearances as of 2021. The program first rose to prominence early in its history, recognised as national champions in 1918 and 1926 by the Helms Athletic Foundation. Syracuse made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1957 and has since become a regular fixture in the annual March Madness event.
The team has experienced both highs and lows throughout its NCAA Tournament history. In 2009, Syracuse gained significant media attention after a thrilling six-overtime game against UConn, securing their spot in the 2009 NCAA Tournament. They advanced to the Sweet 16 that year, a feat they would repeat in 2021. In 2012-13, Syracuse made its fifth trip to the Final Four, showcasing their consistent performance.
However, Syracuse has also faced setbacks and investigations into possible violations. In 2015, the NCAA ordered the vacation of 101 wins from five different seasons, impacting their tournament appearances in 2006, 2007, and 2012. Despite this, Syracuse still claims all its NCAA Tournament appearances and conference titles from those years.
Syracuse's most recent NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2021, marking their 37th trip to the tournament. While they did not qualify for the 2024 tournament, they are looking to bounce back and compete for a spot in the upcoming 2025-26 season. The team has a strong foundation, with talented players like Dakari Spear, a top-ranked shooting guard in his class, and Kiyan Anthony, the son of NBA star Carmelo Anthony.
Syracuse Orange basketball has a proud tradition in the NCAA Tournament, and their fans eagerly anticipate their return to March Madness in the coming seasons.
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Syracuse's 2023-24 season performance
Syracuse University's 2023-24 basketball season has been a mixed bag of impressive wins and disappointing losses. Led by first-year head coach Adrian Autry, the team had a strong start, winning their first three games. However, they then lost their next two games against highly-ranked opponents in the Maui Invitational.
The Orange bounced back with an ACC-SEC Challenge win against LSU, but their momentum was short-lived as they lost their ACC opener to Virginia. Syracuse went on to have a successful non-conference run, winning their final four games to finish with a 9-2 record outside of the ACC.
Within the ACC, Syracuse's performance was more inconsistent. They won four of their first six ACC games, including victories against Pittsburgh, but suffered losses to top-ranked teams like Duke and North Carolina. The team then hit a rough patch, losing four out of their next six games.
However, they ended the season on a high note, winning five of their last seven games, including an upset win over seventh-ranked North Carolina. Syracuse finished the regular season with an impressive 20-12 overall record and an 11-9 ACC record, tying for fifth place in the conference.
Despite their strong finish, Syracuse faced a disappointing end to their season, losing to NC State in the second round of the ACC Tournament. This loss dashed any hopes of the team making it to the NCAA Tournament and March Madness, marking the third consecutive year of their absence from the prestigious tournament.
While Syracuse fell short of qualifying for March Madness, their 20-win season marked a significant improvement and a highly successful term for the team.
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Syracuse's key players and coaches
As of 2023, the head coach of Syracuse University's football team is Dino Babers, with Coach Mike Lynch and Coach Nunzio Campanile also on the staff. Coach Campanile is in his first season with Syracuse after spending five years at Rutgers. Babers has also brought on former quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Jason Beck, as well as Coach Ligashesky, who has experience with the Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008.
Syracuse's basketball team, the Orange, has a few key players. In 2024, the team's most notable player was Buddy Boeheim, who led the team to the Sweet 16. In 2026, the team will welcome top shooting guard Dakari Spear. Carmelo Anthony's son, Kiyan Anthony, is also a Syracuse University freshman.
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Syracuse's basketball history
Syracuse University's basketball team, the Syracuse Orange, has a long and storied history in college basketball. The program began in February 1898, with Athletic Director John A. R. Scott serving as the first coach. Syracuse's first varsity basketball team took to the court in the 1916-17 season and quickly rose to national prominence. The Helms Athletic Foundation recognized the team as national champions in 1918 and 1926.
The program made its first National Invitation Tournament (NIT) appearances in 1946 and 1950 and won the 1951 National Campus Tournament. Syracuse then made its NCAA men's basketball tournament debut in 1957. Notable early players included Hall of Famer Vic Hanson and Wilmeth Sidat-Singh, a racial pioneer.
The modern era of Syracuse basketball is considered to have begun with the arrival of another future Hall of Famer, Dave Bing. In 1964, Bing led the team to an NIT appearance, and in his senior year in 1966, he guided them to their second NCAA tournament, reaching the regional final.
Syracuse basketball gained even greater prominence in the mid-1980s, thanks to Pearl Washington, who brought the team to national attention and helped establish the Big East as a major conference. Washington's impact was such that Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim later said, "there would be no Syracuse basketball program as we know it without Pearl." During this period, Syracuse consistently led the NCAA in attendance, with crowds often exceeding 30,000 for their biggest games.
Syracuse has a historic rivalry with Georgetown, considered one of college basketball's greatest, which was particularly intense from 1979 to 2013 when both teams were members of the Big East Conference. One of the most memorable games between the two took place in 2009, with Syracuse winning a six-overtime thriller, 127-117.
More recently, in 2015, Syracuse faced sanctions from the NCAA, which found possible rules violations. This resulted in the vacating of 101 wins across several seasons.
Despite some setbacks, Syracuse basketball continues to be a prominent program with a passionate fan base. While they did not qualify for the 2023-24 NCAA Tournament, the team had a successful season, winning 20 regular-season games, and they will look to build on this momentum in the future.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Syracuse Basketball is not going to March Madness in 2023. However, several former Syracuse players and coaches will be participating.
No, Syracuse Basketball is not going to March Madness in 2024.
No, Syracuse Basketball is not going to March Madness in 2025.
Syracuse Basketball first rose to national prominence in the early 20th century, making its first NCAA tournament appearance in 1957. The team has since made several appearances, including a championship win in 2003.
