COACH: Jim Boeheim, 35 years at Syracuse, 28 years in NCAA tournament.
HOW THEY GOT IN: At-large bid.
GO-TO GUYS: Syracuse has more of a balanced attack than an offense that depends on one player. Kris Joseph leads the Orange in scoring at just over 14 points per game, and if anything, it's a wonder he doesn't get more, given that when he's on top of his game it looks like he can score from any spot. Rick Jackson stays close to the basket and is almost automatic when he gets the ball down low. Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche are dangerous in the backcourt, particularly since Jardine is very good at finding the open man in transition.
X FACTOR: Kris Joseph hasn't been on top of his game offensively heading into the NCAA tournament. The only time in the last five games he's hit his season average in points was the overtime loss to UConn, and he took fewer than 10 shots in four of them. The Orange hope to see the Joseph they saw against UConn, who was more aggressive in seeking opportunities to score, in the NCAAs. It also remains to be seen what happens with Triche, who looked great in the Big East quarters against St. John's and then got yanked for much of the second half of the loss to Connecticut.
STRENGTHS: The Syracuse matchup zone is always tough to prepare for, as opponents who don't see it every year in the Big East have a hard time finding comfortable shots. That's particularly true this season, given Jackson's breakout year on the inside, and it's a low percentage play for opposing guards to drive the lane and hope for a miracle because the Orange tend to swat those right back. Syracuse shoots better than 47 percent from the field and usually has the patience to wait for an clear look at the hoop.
WEAKNESSES: The Orange doesn't do itself any favors at the free throw line, shooting 63 percent as a team from the stripe. Rick Jackson is particularly brutal, and is barely over 50 percent. Apart from Jackson, nobody is very consistent in the middle, with the highly-touted Fab Melo going from starter to "DNP-CD" status before emerging again as a key option in the frontcourt in March.
