The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team is off to a 7-6 start through its first 13 games, its worst mark since the 1969-70 season, which predates the Jim Boeheim era.
Part of that middling record is due to Syracuse’s difficult non-conference schedule to be sure. The Orange currently have a strength of schedule (SOS) of 50. But more than anything else, the defense hasn’t quite been up to standard this season — or in the past three, broadly speaking. As part of a shift to a more modern offensive focus, Syracuse hasn’t posted a top 75 defense since the 2018-19 season.