BY TOM SEIPP, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
College Basketball. Easily one of the most popular sports in America, basketball has grown at an unbelievable rate. College Basketball is a big reason for that.
Upsets, underdogs and results that can happen in an instant are the reason why the collegiate level is so incredibly interesting.
But, for years, college basketball has been dominating without any schools from the State of New York being a headliner. Since Syracuse’s 2013 National Championship, there hasn’t been a team that has stood out.
But, that could all change this year.
There are 22 Division-I schools in New York; there are only two who are in one of the Power 6 conferences: Syracuse and St. John’s.
Syracuse, the lone ACC school in the state, is on the rise after an unexpected Sweet 16 run a year ago. Head coach Jim Boeheim is coaching both of his sons (who are averaging a combined 36.5 points-per-game so far), along with Joe Girard III and Villanova-transfer Cole Swider who are all averaging double-figures.
St. John’s, who received votes in the AP Top 25 Poll, is also on the rise after a good year in the Big East a year ago. They are led by Julian Champagnie, who scored 32 against Indiana on Wednesday, who has a strong possibility of finishing the year as Big East Player of the Year and an All-American. Posh Alexander is one of the most underrated point guards in the country for Mike Anderson. The Johnnies are an incredibly sneaky team in the Big East.
But, the highest ranked team in the state isn’t Syracuse or St. John’s, it’s the St. Bonaventure Bonnies.
The returning of the five starters from last year’s Atlantic 10 Championship team is well known, and the Bonnies are the 22nd ranked team in the country in the second week of the season. The expectations are high in Olean.
The combination of these three teams, including MAC representatives Buffalo and Iona from the MAAC, New York could have at least five teams in the NCAA Tournament.
New York college basketball is back, and there will be at least five teams from New York in the NCAA Tournament.
seipptw19@bonaventure.edu
