As the NCAA Tournament comes to a close, GMS likes to review some of the power conference or power program teams that made it to the Big Dance and ask whether or not they’ve got a shot to return to the show next season. We continue on with teams eliminated in the Final Four.
Recruit and Reload: Syracuse Orange
Key Losses: Malachi Richardson, Michael Gbinije, Trevor Cooney
Key Returners: Tyler Lyndon, Tyler Roberson
Key Newcomers: Tyus Battle, Matthew Moyer
Breakdown: A year after self-imposed sanctions knocked the Orange out of contention for postseason play, Syracuse was still expected to be wallowing in their misery. Preseason reports talked about a team that couldn’t shoot, wasn’t skilled enough, and just in general didn’t have enough talent. Fast forward to March and Syracuse was in the Final Four after barely making the tournament in the first place. But with success comes the consequence of success, at least in college basketball. Both Gbinije and Cooney leave via graduation, but Richardson parlayed a high scoring freshman campaign into a favorable review from the NBA, meaning he’s off to pursue his professional dreams. In the wake is left…not a whole lot.
Both Lyndon and Roberson are great pieces, but proving that they can be relied upon as “guys” remains to be seen. Both Battle and Moyer were highly recruited and figure to step onto campus with plenty of opportunity for an immediate impact.
