Syracuse’s season kicks off its season on Friday at 7 p.m. against Colgate. The Orange, coming off a Final Four run, has a lot to replace from last year’s team and stocked up with three transfers eligible to play this season.

Here are three key storylines to watch throughout the season.

Is Tyler Lydon an elite player in the ACC and even nationally?

Bovada gave Lydon the sixth-best odds to win AP Player of the Year. That seems a bit steep for the sophomore, but still expect Lydon to build off his breakout freshman season with a second year where everyone expects him to be a prominent figure from the start. As we know, his ability to step outside and hit shots from the elbow and outside the arc puts him in the upper tier of players in the ACC. But until Lydon becomes a premier low-post threat, his name rests slightly outside the conversation for best players in the country.

Will Tyus Battle be the next Malachi Richardson or even better?

Battle was ranked as the No. 35 recruit in the country by ESPN and will have a chance to step in and contribute as a freshman this season. The Orange must fill the hole left by Malachi Richardson, who bolted for the NBA after just one collegiate season. In Syracuse’s first exhibition against Indiana (Pennsylvania), Battle scored a game-high 16 points and flashed the scoring ability from the wing that has fans salivating. Whether Battle emerges as the threat Richardson was remains to be seen but the potential of another dynamic freshman certainly exists for SU.

Will Jim Boeheim lean on different styles of play this year?

It took only one exhibition for the 41-year veteran head coach to reach into his bags of tricks. Syracuse deployed man-to-man defense from the opening tipoff, and quickly doubled down by pressing shortly thereafter. SU certainly has the depth this year to be more unorthodox, and don’t be surprised to see Boeheim substitute liberally as his team is on the cusp of pressing, for example. The Orange will largely operate like it always has under Boeheim’s watch. But an apparent wealth of bench players will allow for some experimentation, especially before conference play begins.

Check out our 2016 Basketball Guide, here.

Published on November 10, 2016 at 9:18 am