Syracuse Basketball Expert Elevates Team’s Preseason ACC Rankings to New Heights

Syracuse basketball has secured the impressive No. 3 spot in the just-released Atlantic Coast Conference power rankings for the upcoming 2023-24 season.

Renowned college basketball expert Jay Anderson, who provides extensive coverage of the ACC and other leagues on the highly-regarded FanSided website Busting Brackets, has recently unveiled his preseason ACC power rankings for the 2023-24 season.

It is with great pleasure that I announce Anderson’s recognition of the Orange as the third-best team in the conference prior to the start of the season. I truly appreciate Jay’s perspective on Syracuse basketball.

Adrian Autry takes the helm as the new head coach for the Orange, succeeding the legendary Jim Boeheim this past spring. During the offseason, the Syracuse roster for the 2023-24 season underwent significant changes. However, on paper, this 13-player lineup appears to be highly athletic, deep, and versatile across all positions.

Moreover, when it comes to the ACC, both national and conference pundits seem to agree that Duke holds the top spot, at least based on preseason predictions. However, beyond that, the conference appears to be fairly competitive.

Syracuse basketball has a tremendous opportunity to be ranked among the top four to six teams in the ACC.

In the extremely early national top-25 rankings for the 2023-24 season, the Blue Devils are listed among the top five teams. The ratings also include Miami and North Carolina. Miami reached the Final Four in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, while North Carolina made it to the championship game the previous season (with Duke reaching the Final Four).

In light of this, Anderson’s preseason ACC power rankings are as follows:
No. 1: Duke
No. 2: Miami
No. 3: Syracuse basketball
No. 4: North Carolina
No. 5: Clemson
No. 6: N.C. State
No. 7: Virginia
No. 8: Pittsburgh
No. 9: Florida State
No. 10: Virginia Tech
No. 11: Wake Forest
No. 12: Georgia Tech
No. 13: Boston College
No. 14: Louisville
No. 15: Notre Dame

As I have mentioned before, Syracuse basketball’s 20-game ACC schedule for 2023-24 seems manageable. While the team will face several tough opponents in non-conference play, the Orange will also be tested early on during ACC matchups.

That being said, if the Orange can quickly find their synergy as a team, I firmly believe that they will make a triumphant return to the NCAA Tournament in 2024 after a two-year absence.

While most experts are not overly optimistic about Syracuse basketball in the preseason, some pundits, including Anderson and others, believe that the Orange could surprise everyone once the 2023-24 season officially begins in early November.

• Published on 10/07/2023 at 8:00 AM EDT
• Last updated on 10/07/2023 at 8:00 AM EDT