After a rough 2014-15 that included a mediocre record and a self-imposed tournament ban, Jim Boeheim's Syracuse Orange return to the NCAA field determined to shake off what was an up-and-down conference season. Can the 'Cuse find its rhythm on opening weekend, string together a couple of wins, and vault into the Sweet 16?
ESPN Insider has your answers, as Joe Lunardi has enlisted a team of Bracketologists to compile advanced metrics, key scouting intel and best- and worst-case tournament scenarios for all 68 teams to help you make smart picks in your bracket.
TOURNEY PROFILE
Best wins: UConn, Texas A&M, at Duke
Worst losses: at St. John's
Regular-season conference finish: t-9th, ACC
Polls and metrics: Syracuse had a brief stint in the top 25 of both polls that lasted all of a week in late November. The Orange rank in the top half of the BPI.
All-time tourney record: 61-37, one national title and five Final Fours
Coach's tourney record: Jim Boeheim (53-30, one national title and four Final Fours)
Bracketology chart | BPI information
PERSONNEL
(Note: Player statistics are through games of March 6.)
STARTING LINEUP
C DaJuan Coleman (4.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG)
F Tyler Roberson (9.0 PPG, 8.2 RPG)
G Malachi Richardson (13.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG)
G Trevor Cooney (12.9 PPG, 2.4 APG)
G Michael Gbinije (17.6 PPG, 4.5 APG)
Key Bench Players
F Tyler Lydon (10.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG)
G Franklin Howard (1.6 PPG, 1.5 RPG)
G Kaleb Joseph (4.0 PPG, 0.9 RPG)
Biggest strength: Syracuse has the luxury of having four very capable shooters in its rotation who can go off on any given night from the perimeter. Gbinije and Cooney both have prior tournament experience on a team in which that is in short supply. Their leadership could prove valuable if the Orange end up in a tight opening-round game.
Biggest weakness: After having the luxury of second-round NBA draft pick Rakeem Christmas on the block for the past four years, Coach Boeheim's patience has been tested with Roberson and Coleman. The Orange lack consistent interior scoring and often sacrifice offense for rebounding down low. Chances are if an opponent has a mismatch, it's inside.
Best player: Gbinije. The All-ACC selection has quietly put together a really impressive year. The grad student scored in double figures in every game, even exploding for a career-high 34 on senior day against NC State. He impacts the game in a variety of ways and creates even more with his ability to force steals.
X factor: Cooney. Often the subject of scrutiny from the school's fan base due to some inconsistency from the outside, he has a chance to put a stamp on what is his last tournament. Cooney has struggled mightily during Syracuse's recent woes, and the two aren't mutually exclusive of each other. If the Delaware native can find his rhythm, chances are the Orange will find theirs, too.
SCOUTING REPORT
Offensive approach: The Orange spread the floor and try to create opportunities for their wings via dribble penetration. Gbinije does a good job getting to the lane and creating both for himself and his teammates. This squad is a far cry from some of Boeheim's recent tournament teams, although it does a good job crashing the offensive glass.
Defensive approach: As reliable as a comfortable pair of shoes, the 2-3 zone remains the staple of a Boeheim-coached team. Long, athletic guards up top make it hard to get good looks from the perimeter. The result has been some of the best 3-point defense in school history.
How they beat you: They go off from the outside -- 37.2% of Syracuse's offense this season has come by way of the 3-pointer, and some of its most impressive wins have occurred when the Orange are locked in from the perimeter.
How you beat them: Taking out Syracuse is pretty simple if an opponent can defend the perimeter. Making effective closeouts and leaving little open space around the arc will do wonders. If the Orange can't hit from the outside, they have to rely on the interior. Neither Coleman nor Roberson can give them enough in the post to make it a worthwhile tradeoff.
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY
(Note: All statistics in this section are courtesy of kenpom.com and are accurate through games of March 6.)
NATIONAL RANKS
Offensive efficiency, 76th (109.2)
Defensive efficiency, 34th (95.9)
3-point percentage, 129th (35.9)
3-point percentage D, 9th (30.2)
Free throw rate, 203rd (35.7)
Free throw rate D, 41st (44.0)
TO percentage, 189th (18.3)
TO percentage D, 46th (20.7)
Good stat: 30.2 3-point percentage D
The Orange hold opponents to just over 30 percent from long range, which is good enough for ninth in all of Division I. How good is Syracuse's perimeter defense you ask? Look no further than the over 19 seconds opponents use per possession. That's dead last in the country and signals that opposing teams are taking longer to try and solve what is an airtight 2-3 zone around the perimeter.
Bad stat: 35.7 free throw rate
With most of their scoring coming from the outside and off of dribble penetration, you would think the Orange might do a better job of getting to the line. Syracuse is in the bottom half of D-I when it comes to trips to the charity stripe. Volume tends to be more important than free throw percentage but 'Cuse doesn't do that very well, either.
HOW FAR WILL THEY GO?
Best-case scenario: Sweet 16
Syracuse's live-by-the-3, die-by-the-3 mentality could prove to be fun in a tournament in which its fans likely aren't expecting much. If the Orange get hot from outside and put their consistency issues in the rearview mirror, there's a chance that Syracuse could get out of the opening weekend with the right matchups. Boeheim's squad has just enough talent to be problematic and the 2-3 zone will likely keep them in almost any game.
Worst-case scenario: First Four or Second-Round Exit
By the same token, the Orange could just as easily go cold from the perimeter, as has happened more often than not recently. If Syracuse can't hit from the outside or find an answer on the interior, then it's likely heading back to the Salt City just in time for St. Patrick's Day weekend.