Hot Scarlet Nights

Rutgers isn't very good.  And personally, I think it's weird.  Even Bob Hurley, Sr. thinks it's strange.  I mean, anyone who's ever seen a game inside the packed RAC will tell you that Rutgers has a great home-court advantage.  NJ isn't exactly hurting for quality basketball talent.  And Rutgers played in the Big East, arguably the best conference in all the land.  So why can't Rutgers basketball get good?  A question best left for another time I suppose...

I shouldn't complain.  When the 10-19 (1-15) Scarlet Knights come to the Dome tonight on Senior night, it promises to make Syracuse's other recent opponents, Cincy & St. John's,  look like UConn and Pitt.  And honestly, given the way that football has been, it's nice to know there's still a major sport we can dominate Rutgers in.  As God intended.

Yep, Rutgers has one Big East win and it was over the only conference team worse than them, 8-21 (0-16) DePaul.  Whoever gets either of them in the BET first round, enjoy.

Things are looking up for the Orange.  They have two straight wins under their belt and are, in theory, in the NCAA Tournament.  But don't tell that to Paul Harris who on more of a glass-half-empty kind of kick:

"The way things have been going for us, we're probably on the bubble, too. You never know," SU's Paul Harris said. "I don't know how those people pick the teams. We just gotta win out and hopefully win the Big East Tournament. That's how I look at it. We just gotta try to win every game."

The Orange can make all of that a lot easier on themselves by winning this game.  It will ensure that they finish no worse than 8th overall in the conference, thereby guaranteeing a bye in the first round of the BET.  I think we can all agree that the last thing you need in NYC is another day tacked on to your schedule.

And just in case you needed any more assurances, look no further than Mike Water's Scouting Report, which reminds us...

Rutgers is 1-20 against the Orange in Syracuse. Rutgers' lone win in Syracuse was a 76-75 win at Manley Field House on Feb. 6, 1975, against SU's 1975 Final Four squad.

One concern that most Orange fans dare not think too hard on.  Is this Jonny Flynn's last home game for SU?  I shudder to think...

I also think this is an appropriate time to bring up the potential early departure of Jonny Flynn, because for all we know, this could be Flynn’s last game in the Dome as well. I’m fully aware that this team is looking like it’s finally starting to hit its stride and that the injury bug has crawled away, but it’s tough to ignore the possibility, however small you think it may be. I’m hoping for Jonny to hang around another year just like everyone else, but in reality, I think he’s gone.

Gulp.