The Daily OrangeAfter 4-year absense, Syracuse glad to advance to 2nd round of Tournament
By Michael Bonner
Posted: 3/20/09, 6:56 PM EST Section: Sports
MIAMI - There was a new addition to the Syracuse's uniforms Friday. An NCAA logo was sewn on.
Paul Harris didn't notice until he stepped onto the American Airlines Arena court, but he was presently surprised.
"I didn't even see it until the game started," Harris said with a laugh. "I was like 'Whoa, hey no more NIT'."
As the Orange broke its streak of back-to-back NIT appearances, it also broke its streak of first-round exits in the NCAA Tournament. The last two appearances in the big dance, the Orange lost to Vermont and Texas A&M, respectively.
With a 59-44 win against Stephen F. Austin Friday, the Orange erased a lot of those memories in its attempt to revert to its history of being a perennial powerhouse in the Tournament.
"Coach Boeheim is used to winning," Jonny Flynn said. "He's used to getting the to the Sweet 16 and to the Elite Eight. And just to get back on track this year and get back to the NCAA Tournament and hopefully get some wins for this program is big."
The win was the first in the Tournament since 2004 when SU the defending national champions and beat Brigham Young and Maryland before getting bounced in the Sweet 16 by Alabama.
The Orange will have an opportunity to return to the round of 16 Sunday against Arizona State. who beat Temple, 66-57 in the game following Syracuse's here in Miami. But the Orange has much bigger goals than just a trip to Memphis, where SU will go with a victory over the Sun Devils.
"It's a great win for the program, especially since not having a win here in a long time," Andy Rautins said. "It was our goal at the beginning of the season to get back to elite status that Syracuse used to have."
Sniffling Orange
The Orange has battled injuries all season. Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuauku both returned from ankle and knee injuries. Now, as the team is finally getting healthy, it has to deal with something else - the flu.
"Man, it seems like everybody either has a cough, stuffy head, nose," Flynn said. "I think it's coming down from 'Cuse down to here. I don't know what it is. Hopefully this extra day we just get better, get some rest and everybody be healthy to play."
Paul Harris didn't notice until he stepped onto the American Airlines Arena court, but he was presently surprised.
"I didn't even see it until the game started," Harris said with a laugh. "I was like 'Whoa, hey no more NIT'."
As the Orange broke its streak of back-to-back NIT appearances, it also broke its streak of first-round exits in the NCAA Tournament. The last two appearances in the big dance, the Orange lost to Vermont and Texas A&M, respectively.
With a 59-44 win against Stephen F. Austin Friday, the Orange erased a lot of those memories in its attempt to revert to its history of being a perennial powerhouse in the Tournament.
"Coach Boeheim is used to winning," Jonny Flynn said. "He's used to getting the to the Sweet 16 and to the Elite Eight. And just to get back on track this year and get back to the NCAA Tournament and hopefully get some wins for this program is big."
The win was the first in the Tournament since 2004 when SU the defending national champions and beat Brigham Young and Maryland before getting bounced in the Sweet 16 by Alabama.
The Orange will have an opportunity to return to the round of 16 Sunday against Arizona State. who beat Temple, 66-57 in the game following Syracuse's here in Miami. But the Orange has much bigger goals than just a trip to Memphis, where SU will go with a victory over the Sun Devils.
"It's a great win for the program, especially since not having a win here in a long time," Andy Rautins said. "It was our goal at the beginning of the season to get back to elite status that Syracuse used to have."
Sniffling Orange
The Orange has battled injuries all season. Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuauku both returned from ankle and knee injuries. Now, as the team is finally getting healthy, it has to deal with something else - the flu.
"Man, it seems like everybody either has a cough, stuffy head, nose," Flynn said. "I think it's coming down from 'Cuse down to here. I don't know what it is. Hopefully this extra day we just get better, get some rest and everybody be healthy to play."
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