Devendorf Returns For Syracuse

[cuse_man]

Jim Boeheim is entering his 33rd season as the coach at Syracuse. Never during his tenure has his team missed the NCAA tournament three consecutive seasons.

The Orange played in the NIT in 1981 and '82 before making the 1983 NCAAs, and the Orange has played in the past two NITs.

A healthy Eric Devendorf should help Syracuse avoid another NIT appearance.
If Syracuse is to end its current NIT streak, a healthy Eric Devendorf is a necessity. Devendorf suffered a torn ACL 10 games into last season, when he was averaging 17 points and 3.9 assists. He also was shooting a sizzling 40.7 percent from 3-point range.

The Orange was 7-3 with him in the lineup. Granted, it was just the non-conference schedule, but the team went 14-11 without him as the depth and outside shooting took a downturn.

"We had injuries to myself and (fellow guard) Andy Rautins, and it put a load on the young guys to have to come in pick up the slack," Devendorf told Rivals.com. "They didn't know what to expect. It was a lot of pressure."

It also turned into a lot of minutes. The four players left in the starting lineup after Devendorf went down (Rautins already had been lost for the season before it began with a torn ACL of his own) each averaged more than 30 minutes per game. Freshmen Jonny Flynn and Donte Greene and sophomore Paul Harris each averaged at least 35.5 minutes.

It made for a tired, young team that frequently struggled on the defensive end. There was nothing Devendorf could do except rehab his knee.

"The type of guy I am, I just love to play, and when it's taken away it hurts," Devendorf said. "And it hurts more to watch your team play and struggle. You just want to be out there."

Greene (17.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg) left after one season to enter the NBA draft, but Boeheim welcomes back Flynn, Harris and Arinze Onuaku - all of whom excelled last season.

"Jonny is one of the top point guards in the country," Devendorf said. "And he was playing like 40 minutes a game. The incoming freshmen played a lot.

"That should help them. They have experience from last year at a young age, and they should be more confident."

The Orange is confident Devendorf and Rautins are recovered from their knee injuries. They're capable of combining for as many as 150 3-pointers.

"I feel I'm close to 100 percent," Devendorf said. "The knee feels really good. The staff and trainers are doing a really good job.

"All of the work to get back has paid off. I've been playing 5-on-5 for a month. The knee feels great. It's rare that it's even sore."

To get back to the NCAA tournament, there is the small problem of negotiating the Big East, a league so loaded that it has eight teams in the Rivals.com Preseason Top 25. Syracuse isn't one of them, but the Orange came in at No. 32 in our Top 65 Countdown.

If there ever were a year you could finish eighth or ninth in a conference and still make the NCAAs, this is it.

"We're in the best conference in the country," Devendorf said. "There's no question. There are eight or nine teams that will make the tournament. It's crazy. But you want to play against the best competition."

Will Syracuse be one of those eight or nine?

"Oh, yeah, definitely," Devendorf said. "A lot of teams might be overlooking us because they don't know how me and Andy will come back and play. We'll be ready."

[revnecro1273]

is devendorf that white dude that kind of seems like eminem...so not really white?

[cuse_man]

Originally Posted by revnecro1273

is devendorf that white dude that kind of seems like eminem...so not really white?

exactly right.... from michigan too... bay city

[Yankee23]

Final 4 Baby!!!

[Bono]

flynn is awesome. i expect syracuse to do well this year.

[cuse_man]

Originally Posted by Bono

flynn is awesome. i expect syracuse to do well this year.

right on bono.. only thing that holds them back is coach

[cuse_man]

Originally Posted by Yankee23

Final 4 Baby!!!

cuse is in the house omg omg

[Deck]

i cant wait till the season guys. going to be a sick team. anyone wanna meet and go to the championship parade?

[Bono]

gotta get past Baylor first!

[cuse_man]

Originally Posted by Bono

gotta get past Baylor first!

haha

baylor a bit disappointing finish

[Hoosiercatdaddy]

finally some good news for the school that has to stomach through another football season

[cuse_man]

lol u got that right...

[Deck]

Originally Posted by Bono

gotta get past Baylor first!

this guy

baylor? lmao.

[Bono]

laugh now. baylor contends for the big 12 this year. returning everyone and added 2 top 100 national players.

[Shark23]

Might make the Big East tourney now............oh, wait, everybody gets in this year, right?