On Selection Sunday one of the teams that had the selection committee facing the most scrutiny was Syracuse. There were plenty of people that felt Syracuse shouldn't have even been in the tournament. Not only did the Orange get into the tournament, but they also weren't one of the last four teams in so they didn't have to play in a play-in game.
Syracuse opened up its tournament play on Friday afternoon when it took on Dayton, and it dominated the Flyers. Syracuse was the underdog in this game as it was the 10 seed while Dayton was the seven seed, but it sure didn't look that way in this game. Syracuse is plenty talented, and if it plays its best game it can pretty much hang with anyone in the nation.
This Syracuse team is loaded with talent, and although the Orange have been through their struggles this season, they have also shown that they can beat anyone in the country. The Orange defeated Texas A&M on a neutral floor earlier in the year and also took down the Duke Blue Devils on Duke's home floor, so they clearly have the ability.
We have seen in the tournament before that teams that "shouldn't have been in" can make a deep tournament run. The first team that comes to mind fitting that scenario was the 2011 Virginia Commonwealth Rams. Many people did not think that VCU belonged in the tournament that season, but it responded by making it all the way to the Final Four. This Syracuse team has a great coach and the players to be able to make a similar type of run.
Syracuse defeated Dayton, a team that was once ranked 15th in the nation this season, by 19, and that was without a good game from its best player, Michael Gbinije. Malachi Richardson and Tyler Roberson were the keys to Syracuse's win on Friday afternoon, but the team only shot 39 percent, so that is a sign that it has a better game in it. If the Orange get Trevor Cooney making shots, Richardson playing like he did today, and Roberson controlling the glass, this team has a chance to surprise a lot of people.
Syracuse was expected to take on Michigan State in a potential second round matchup, but the Spartans were shocked by Middle Tennessee State. Obviously since Middle Tennessee State beat one of the favorites in the entire tournament it can play, but Syracuse will likely enter this game as the favorite. If the Orange get past MTSU in the next round, it is not a stretch to say they can keep going to the Elite Eight and maybe even further.
