GREENSBORO, N.C. — No. 2-seed Syracuse entered its first Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Friday, hoping to make a run to the title game and grab a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a convenient trip to Buffalo and then New York City.

After an early loss to No. 7-seed North Carolina State in the ACC tournament quarterfinals, the Orange’s (27-5, 14-4 ACC) NCAA destiny is left in doubt. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi projects No. 11 SU as a No. 3 seed in Buffalo after its 66-63 loss to the Wolfpack (21-12, 9-9). The Post-Standard’s Patrick Stevens predicts the same. CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm has Syracuse as a No. 4 in Spokane, Wash.

“We went to California last year, right?” SU guard Trevor Cooney said. “It doesn’t matter. You’ve just got to go out there and play. It doesn’t matter where you are or who you’re playing against. You’ve just got to go out and play.”

The Orange will find out its NCAA Tournament destination on Sunday at 6 p.m. during the selection show. Syracuse downplayed the significance of seeding after the loss, but the effect it can have is obvious.

“I think the lower that we’re seeded,” SU guard Tyler Ennis said, “the better team we’re going to play.”

No matter the projection, though, it seems the Orange is destined for a top-four seed, which means an anticipated trip to the second weekend. The selection committee also tends to protect top-four seeds and keep them close to home. Of course, last season Syracuse had to make a trip across the country.

But none of the projections will matter if the Orange keeps playing the way it has for the past few weeks.

Said SU head coach Jim Boeheim: “We’re concerned about this season, how we’re playing, how we’re going to play this week.”

Published on March 15, 2014 at 11:11 pm

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