With the news that the Syracuse Orange will not be heading to Las Vegas to participate in the Players Era Tournament next season, it opens up one more high-profile neutral site opportunity and we know where it should be…..The Mecca.
Syracuse has been squeezed out of Madison Square Garden in the last few years by UConn, St. John’s and even Duke, but it’s time for the Orange to plant the Block S flag above Penn Station. The Orange haven’t played in MSG since the 2021 game against Villanova and it’s beyond
time for us to hear “Let’s Go Orange” ringing out in the storied arena.
The return of Gerry McNamara has Syracuse fans feeling more nostalgic than usual and with Syracuse likely looking for one more neutral-site game, there’s no reason to delay this any longer. It’s not just the memories of McNamara’s 2006 Big East Tournament, but with Kiyan Anthony expected back, it makes sense for him to take the floor where his father made his Syracuse debut (and played for another Orange and Blue squad).
It shouldn’t be a question of if, it should be a question of who, so who should Syracuse look to play? Fans, and television, will want the nostalgia of a old-school Big East matchup. Yes, we know that the Orange are already scheduled to play Providence, but that’s not a game of national note.
If it’s going to be a neutral-site game, then take St. John’s off the table. I know so many of you want to face Pitino, but let’s put that off a bit.
We want to go back to MSG in a big way, so sorry Seton Hall.
So then it should really come down to three schools: UConn, Villanova, or Georgetown.
Syracuse wants to get back to where UConn currently resides and that match-up would certainly draw an incredible crowd to the Garden.
Villanova turned things around last season under a new HC and while they might not have been the biggest Big East rival, it’d pack MSG.
We’ve wondered if the Syracuse-Georgetown rivalry could be reignited, well maybe taking it to NYC is a way to give it a jolt.
No matter who it is, I think it’s certainly the time for the Orange to get back in MSG, what do you think?
