Why recruits choose Syracuse football, basketball

For a lot of us, it was an easy choice, to go to Syracuse University. For plenty more, there were other contenders. And some others didn’t go to SU at all.

While we know what ultimately made our unique decisions, it can be completely different for others -- especially in the recruiting game, where Syracuse Orange football and basketball both put in some serious work in recent months.

Over on Syracuse.com, we learn more about what convinced Caleb Okechukwu to sign with Orange football. And more locally, SouthCoastToday chatted with 2019 commit Brycen Goodine about how he picked Jim Boeheim’s squad (plus how he fits with the 2-3 zone).

Your daily-ish links are below:

The Maturation of Brycen Goodine (SouthCoastToday)

“Brycen has that length,” Hart said. “Now we just have to teach him when to hit the high post, when to close out on the shooter, when to double down in the low post. We have to teach all those type of things.” “I just try to get long, like how I’m probably going to be when I’m (at Syracuse),” Goodine said.

Why 3-star DL Caleb Okechukwu chose Syracuse over Arkansas, Texas (Syracuse.com)

“I felt the love from Texas, I felt the love from Arkansas,” Okechukwu said during a phone interview Friday morning, “but there was more from Syracuse. I was a top priority for them and they made that known.”

Syracuse makes defensive adjustment to beat Wake Forest (Daily Orange)

That deception, combined with the shooters’ hot hands, made the perimeter a heaven for the Demon Deacons. The Orange responded by enticing Wake Forest to enter the ball into the high post and prevent 3-pointers at almost all costs. A few steals resulted, none more important than Howard’s in the final minutes.

From Tyler Lydon’s buddy to Syracuse scholarship, Braedon Bayer recounts his ‘crazy journey’ (Syracuse.com)

With Syracuse sitting precariously on the NCAA Tournament bubble, a player who came to SU simply because he was friends with Tyler Lydon has the chance, however limited, of making a season-altering play. ”The goal was just to be on the team,” Bayer said. “Then this season happened and the scholarship was the goal. Now, the stars align and playing is the goal. That’s the journey. It’s crazy.”

Lunardi has Syracuse among his “First Four Out” (ESPN) | Syracuse is listed on 65 of 95 brackets (Bracket Matrix)

Syracuse is slowly but surely creeping back up into brackets. Despite a weekend of chaos on the bubble, the Orange end up sitting on the outside for now on ESPN.

Stephanie Grossi breaks Ice Hockey career scoring record (Daily Orange)

Softball starts season with a 2-1 weekend (Daily Orange)

Frank Howard: The underappreciated playmaker Syracuse needs (Inside the Loud House)

Syracuse, Virginia Tech both offer freshman quarterback (247Sports)