Apr 09 2008
MBB | Final loss caps 'roller coaster' season for young SU squad
The last time Syracuse had more than 14 losses in a season was 1968-69. Jim Boeheim averaged 23.4 points that season - playing professionally for Scranton of the Eastern League.
The Orange’s 14 defeats represent the most ever under the 32-year head coach, and it’s safe to say Boeheim and his players have never endured a season quite like 2007-08.
“Between the off court stuff and on court; people leaving, the injuries, it’s just been a crazy year for us,” freshman Donte Greene said after Syracuse’s 81-77 defeat to Massachusetts in the NIT quarterfinals Tuesday night.
The end result was the same as the previous season: The Orange (21-14) went as far as the NIT quarterfinals but could not make it to New York City for the final four. Last year, SU fell to Clemson on the road to end a 24-11 season.
The two straight NITs marked only the second time that’s happened under Boeheim (1981-83 was the other).
And after losing its two best shooters, Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins to torn ACLs, Syracuse still was in contention for an NCAA Tournament bid until the very end.
But that was not much consolation to the players Tuesday, especially considering the way the Orange ended its up-and-down year, blowing a 22-point second-half lead to UMass.
“Just a big roller coaster at Six Flags,” freshman Jonny Flynn said of his first collegiate season. “You’re waiting in line, from high school, you’re waiting in line, waiting to get on the roller coaster. And then you get here, you go up to your highs. You go on SportsCenter your first day as a freshman. … And then you go to the Garden and you don’t score a bucket. Just a lot of highs and lows. We played great though, we overcame a lot of adversity a lot of teams didn’t face.”
Tags: donte, greene
8 Responses to “MBB | Final loss caps 'roller coaster' season for young SU squad”
I thought calling somebody a traitor for criticizing the war was ridiculous, but now for criticizing roller coasters, too? This is getting out of hand!
Forget that. My family had about half an acre when I was growing up…mowing that damned lawn was the single worst part of my childhood (so, on the whole, a pretty good childhood). I will never touch another mower, and I certainly don’t want some huge lawn in the middle of nowhere to take care of and worry about.
“That wood seems a little rotten to me, so I wouldn’t have the guts to take a ride on these guy’s roller-coaster”What kind of pussy are you?:”a maximum drop of 20 feet and a “lightning speed” of 20mph”Oh yeah, that’ll tear your brains out. Better run screaming from it.
And most likely someone who trespasses onto his property - and then sues, claiming attractive nuisance.
Unimaginative schmucks are not what made the USA a first world country.
You really should finish what you start.
That looks as safe as a rollercoaster made out of wood in a garden.Misplaced analagy?