'Cuse is in the House! Oh My God, Oh My God!

So is it time to stop talking about the Syracuse loss to Division II Le Moyne yet? I think the Orange believe it is, especially after the double digit spankings they have put on the four opponents since. Syracuse is leaving New York City and Madison Square Garden with a trophy to prove that the Le Moyne game is but a distant memory.

Syracuse came back from that exhibition loss to demolish the next two foes in the Carrier Dome, by an average of 36 points, and did not stop on their way to the title. In facing number 12 California they were able to control the game, aside from Jerome Randle being unconscious in his shooting display, winning 95-73.

Then came the vaunted defending champ North Carolina Tar Heels. Well they were able to make it a great first half, that is before Syracuse took control in the second half. With a 22-1 run in the beginning of the second half Syracuse was able to deliver the blow that the Syracuse faithful that packed the Garden were hoping for. Though UNC got it back down to eight points, a few defensive plays and dunks and the game was out of reach again, and the Orange were in complete control. Len Elmore said it had been awhile since he saw a North Carolina team dissected and dominated like this (maybe not those exact words, but something very similar).

What does Syracuse have that makes them a good team?

• Size
• Athleticism
• Length
• A hunger for defense
• Inside scorers, outside shooters
• Can run the floor well
• Experience
• Coaching

This is a team that knows how to win, and win convincingly already, and they want to prove to people that losing their three top scorers from last year does not mean this team is not going to be good. It is early yet, but they look to be a complete team, and people will certainly have to watch out for the Orange. They got fans in Syracuse smiling.