Only two teams ranked in the top-12 of KenPom’s adjusted offensive and defensive rankings this season, Michigan State and Duke. Those are the two skyscrapers Syracuse must surmount to simply reach the Elite Eight. If the Orange got an easy path in 2016, this just about makes up for it.
Syracuse defeated Arizona State and TCU to reach the round of 32, a monumental achievement considering SU’s circumstances, often inexistent offense and the fact that both of those opponents consistently posted over 80 points per game.
The Orange has now arrived on a completely different planet, set to matchup with the Spartan’s Jaren Jackson Jr.