FanHouse Eric Devendorf

When it comes to predicting the early favorites for next season, the usual approach is to look at which teams appear to be coming back loaded with talent and ended the season playing well. Syracuse seemed to fit that bill.

They were poised to bring back their entire starting line-up, one of their top recruits from last year -- Mookie Jones -- was injured so he will be able to help, plus another top-20 recruiting class. Of course that depended on no one leaving early. With the encouragement of coach Jim Boeheim, point guard Jonny Flynn will be checking his status in the NBA draft -- without hiring an agent. Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf, at first blush, appear to just be leaving.

When it comes to predicting the early favorites for next season, the usual approach is to look at which teams appear to be coming back loaded with talent and ended the season playing well. Syracuse seemed to fit that bill.

They were poised to bring back their entire starting line-up, one of their top recruits from last year -- Mookie Jones -- was injured so he will be able to help, plus another top-20 recruiting class. Of course that depended on no one leaving early. With the encouragement of coach Jim Boeheim, point guard Jonny Flynn will be checking his status in the NBA draft -- without hiring an agent. Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf, at first blush, appear to just be leaving.

There was not going to be an answer for Blake Griffin. Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku did everything they could. Jackson in particular player a very tough first half, but Griffin was just too much, as he has been for everybody all year, and Jim Boeheim doubtless knew he would be before the game ever began.

Thing is, Syracuse could have survived an unstoppable Griffin if it had been able to do something else exceptionally well. Something they'd done all year. Something that takes place far away from the spot on the court where Griffin spends most of his time. Yeah, that's right. We're talking about 3-point shooting.

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MIAMI -- With Syracuse's season on the cusp of slipping away, Jonny Flynn found himself getting the majority of Arizona State's defensive attention.

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NEW YORK -- What a breeze, overtime.

"We're getting used to it, yeah," Jonny Flynn, Syracuse's precocious sophomore guard was saying as he bounced off the Madison Square Garden parquet early Saturday morning, destined for another late-night dinner of fast food and an evening date in the Big East championship. His legs were rubber, his energy indefatigable, his smile glowing like a neon light. They don't know for sure, but Flynn's teammates swear he grins in his sleep. And really, who can
blame him?