Syracuse basketball has a long history of star players, Final Four teams, and a Hall of Fame coach. But which decades of Orange hoops were the best?
5. 1970s
Jim Boeheim took over the head coaching job at Syracuse in 1976, which in itself was the biggest accomplishment of the decade. That isn’t to say there weren’t any other major things to look back on. Roy Danforth already had SU in a good position, reaching the Final Four in 1975.
The post Dave Bing-blues of the 1960s probably carried over a bit, but we shouldn’t act like Syracuse wasn’t turning into a powerhouse as the decade went on. They never had a losing season, and from 1976-77 to 1978-79, Syracuse went 72-14 under Boeheim. Things were starting to come together in Central New York.
4. 1990s
I get the feeling Syracuse basketball felt disappointment in the 1990s. The program was still winning a lot of games, but the wait for the championship seemed to be taking forever. Derrick Coleman and Billy Owens formed a tough duo in the 1989-90 season, but it didn’t even end in a Final Four. Lawrence Moten’s scoring skills took the Big East by storm, but it didn’t bring Syracuse a ring. John Wallace did lead SU to a Final Four, but getting over the hump seemed impossible, after a 1996 loss to Kentucky in the finals.
The talent at Syracuse was still at an all-time high in the 1990s, but the Orange couldn’t turn it into a championship. We know that very soon after the turn of the century, that goal would be accomplished, but at the time, it felt like it may never happen.
3. 2010s
The 2010s were the peak of Syracuse basketball as we know it today. While the Orange didn’t win a National Championship, they did make a pair of Final Fours and other deep runs in March. Jim Boeheim’s 2-3 zone puzzled opponents throughout the decade.
The program also turned a page, transitioning from the Big East to the ACC. It hasn’t gone as hoped for, but during their early tenure in the new conference, the Orange were still a force to be reckoned with. In the ten year stretch, Syracuse won 20-plus games eight times. They had some all-time greats, like Michael Carter-Williams, Dion Waiters, Brandon Triche, Scoop Jardine, and CJ Fair. Even though the end of the decade tailed off into the struggle that Syracuse basketball has been today, the majority of the 2010s was made up of a lot of winning.
2. 1980s
One year in particular sticks out in the 19080s when talking about Syracuse basketball, and that’s 1987. The Orange boasted a future top overall NBA Draft pick, but Coleman’s free-throw woes left the door wide open for Keith Smart and Indiana to steal the National Championship. Regardless of the bitter taste it left in SU fans’ mouths, it was still one of the program’s most memorable seasons.
The 1980s were also known for the start of the Big East. Syracuse was a major player in making the conference what it is today. It might not be a measurable stat, but it’s one college basketball fans can appreciate.
We also can’t overlook the great players besides Coleman that donned Orange in the ’80s. Louis Orr and Roosevelt Bouie had their senior seasons in 1979-80. Leo Rautins made his mark in the early part of the decade. Pearl Washington put SU on the map in the mid-80s. And of course, Rony Seikaly and Sherman Douglas etched their names into program lore. Syracuse couldn’t capture a championship in this decade, but those names speak for themselves.
1. 2000s
The 2000s earn the top spot in Syracuse basketball history based on one criterion – a national championship in 2003. You know the history by now – Carmelo Anthony, Hakim Warrick, and Gerry McNamara led Syracuse to their first and only chip. It’s a season Orange nation will never forget.
The rest of the 2000s were marked by some inconsistencies. Other than the 2003 run, the Orange only made the Sweet 16 or further three other times. They missed it all together in 2002, 2007, and 2008.
However, when one of those years ends in a national championship, it automatically elevates the decade to the top.