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A Look At The 2009-10 Schedule
Last week, the final version of the 2009-10 Orange basketball schedule was released. The non-conference schedule keeps up with the trend of the program’s staff peppering in a few challenges among the region’s blowout material. Those challenges include 2009 tournament teams in Cornell, Cal and either UNC or Ohio State in The Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, Memphis in January and a Florida Gators squad that fell just short of making The Big Dance. Moving on, while the level of Big East competition pales in comparison to last year, it isn’t without its challenges. That being said, the conference schedule starts out a little on the tepid side.
The ‘Cuse shouldn’t be an underdog until their fifth game of conference play, when they travel to Morgantown on January 16. SU also has an early date with Pitt at The Dome on January 2, their first home matchup against the Panthers since a devastating loss in ’08 that cost the Orange a trip to the NCAA’s. The only drawback to that game will be the lack of a formidable student section during winter break.
The toughest stretch of the season comes at the end, from February 10-27:
Sun., Feb. 7 — at Cincinnati
Wed., Feb 10 — vs. Connecticut (ESPN)
Sun., Feb. 14 — vs. Louisville (ESPN)
Thur., Feb. 18 — at Georgetown (ESPN/ESPN2)
Tue., Feb 23 — at Providence
Sat., Feb. 27 — vs. Villanova (ESPN)
While some would rather have the toughest part of the season out of the way early, I think having it at the end makes for the highest quality of play, as the two new starters (Johnson and Triche) will have grown familiar with each other and the rest of the team.
The stretch starts with a road game at Cincinnati, where senior Deonta Vaughn and freshman phenom Lance “Born Ready” Stephenson are going to be a formidable duo. Next is a home game against UConn, who will be out for blood after falling short in that one really really long game from last March that made all of us groggy going into work the next day. Following that will be a matchup with Louisville, and I hope that the women of Syracuse stay in and cook at home that weekend, just to be on the safe side. After Louisville is a road rivalry matchup with the Hoyas before a breather against Providence.
Rounding it out is a home game against the early Big East favorite Wildcats of Villanova. Following Senior Night against the Red Storm is the Freedom Hall Finale against Louisville, as they prepare to move into Yum! Basketball Arena in 2009-10.
All in all, despite losing Flynn, Harris and Devendorf, this team is still deep, experienced and talented enough that this home stretch shouldn’t make or break SU’s chances to receive an invite to the NCAA tournament.
