NCAA Tournament: 1st round open thread with some Syracuse MBB memories

It’s the opening day of the 2023 NCAA MBB Tournament and while the Syracuse Orange will not be playing again this year, we know you want to talk about the games.

West Virginia and Maryland start the day off and unless you are truly bitter and spiteful you’ll be rooting for the Colgate squad to take out Texas this evening.

Since the Orange aren’t playing today, let’s look back at some happier times and some

• 1957: First NCAA game for the Orange as Gary Clark and Vin Cohen combine for 50 points to lead Syracuse past UConn in Madison Square Garden. This is also proof that Syracuse can play in a NCAA Tournament without Jim Boeheim involved.
• Speaking of Boeheim, in 1966, his first NCAA game as a player results in a 94-78 win over Davidson in Raleigh. Boeheim scores 14 points on 7-9 shooting while Dave Bing scores 20 points to go with 12 rebounds and 8 assists.
• In 1987 the 2nd-seed Syracuse squad is trailing at home to Georgia Southern at the half. The Orange rally for a six-point win to advance. A fun fact from this one: Syracuse shot 5-10 from 3 in the game while Georgia Southern was 6-6 from beyond the arc.
• Syracuse was sent out West in 1996 and at the half are only up 4 points on Montana State. A 50-point second half propels the Orange to an easy 88-55 win. Five Syracuse players score in double-figures with Otis Hill getting 17 in only 22 minutes of action.
• The 1998 Orange squad entered as a 5th-seed but trailed 12th seed Iona late when Marius Janulis hits a 3 in the final two seconds to push Syracuse to a 63-61 win.
• In 2004, many wondered how Syracuse would fare without Carmelo Anthony around so Gerry McNamara went out and dropped 43 points on BYU. This remains the Syracuse NCAA record as Gerry shot 9-13 from 3 and 12-16 from the line.
• 2013: After Seth Davis predicts the Orange to lose, the team goes out and beats Montana 81-34. Sharpie.

Enjoy the games and best of luck with your brackets.