1977–78 Syracuse Orangemen basketball team

The 1977–78 Syracuse Orangemen men's basketball team represented Syracuse University as an independent during the 1977–78 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by second-year head coach Jim Boeheim, the Orangemen compiled a record of 22–6. Syracuse received an at-large bid to the 1978 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament, where they lost in the first round of the Mideast Regionals to Western Kentucky.

1977–78 Syracuse Orangemen basketball
NCAA Men's Division I Tournament, First Round
Conference	Independent
Record	22–6
Head coach	Jim Boeheim (2nd season)
Assistant coach	Rick Pitino (2nd season)
Home arena	Manley Field House

1977–78 NCAA Division I men's basketball independents standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
No. 3 DePaul		–			–			27	–	3		.900
No. 18 Detroit		–			–			25	–	4		.862
Illinois State		–			–			24	–	4		.857
No. 8 Marquette		–			–			24	–	4		.857
Pan American		–			–			22	–	4		.846
VCU		–			–			24	–	5		.828
Fairfield		–			–			22	–	5		.815
North Texas State		–			–			22	–	6		.786
Syracuse		–			–			22	–	6		.786
Rhode Island		–			–			24	–	7		.774
Providence		–			–			24	–	8		.750
St. John's		–			–			21	–	7		.750
Utah State		–			–			21	–	7		.750
Georgetown		–			–			23	–	8		.742
No. 6 Notre Dame		–			–			23	–	8		.742
Holy Cross		–			–			20	–	7		.741
Northeast Louisiana		–			–			20	–	7		.741
UNC Wilmington		–			–			19	–	7		.731
St. Bonaventure		–			–			21	–	8		.724
UNLV		–			–			20	–	8		.714
Virginia Tech		–			–			19	–	8		.704
James Madison		–			–			18	–	8		.692
Maine		–			–			17	–	8		.680
Army		–			–			19	–	9		.679
Dayton		–			–			19	–	10		.655
St. Francis (NY)		–			–			16	–	9		.640
Iona		–			–			17	–	10		.630
William & Mary		–			–			16	–	10		.615
Air Force		–			–			15	–	10		.600
Loyola (IL)		–			–			16	–	11		.593
Mercer		–			–			16	–	11		.593
Oklahoma City		–			–			16	–	11		.593
Seton Hall		–			–			16	–	11		.593
Boston College		–			–			15	–	11		.577
Butler		–			–			15	–	11		.577
Saint Francis (PA)		–			–			15	–	11		.577
South Carolina		–			–			16	–	12		.571
Siena		–			–			13	–	10		.565
Navy		–			–			14	–	11		.560
Milwaukee		–			–			15	–	12		.556
Niagara		–			–			14	–	12		.538
Northeastern		–			–			14	–	12		.538
Southern Mississippi		–			–			13	–	12		.520
Portland State		–			–			14	–	13		.519
Stetson		–			–			14	–	13		.519
Oral Roberts		–			–			13	–	14		.481
Xavier		–			–			13	–	14		.481
Cleveland State		–			–			12	–	13		.480
Tennessee State		–			–			11	–	12		.478
Catholic		–			–			12	–	14		.462
Manhattan		–			–			12	–	14		.462
Georgia Southern		–			–			12	–	15		.444
Northwestern State		–			–			12	–	15		.444
Connecticut		–			–			11	–	15		.423
Old Dominion		–			–			11	–	15		.423
Vermont		–			–			11	–	15		.423
Boston University		–			–			10	–	15		.400
Hardin–Simmons		–			–			10	–	16		.385
Campbell		–			–			9	–	15		.375
Centenary (LA)		–			–			10	–	17		.370
Denver		–			–			10	–	17		.370
Colgate		–			–			9	–	17		.346
East Carolina		–			–			9	–	17		.346
Fordham		–			–			8	–	18		.308
Long Island		–			–			8	–	18		.308
Saint Peter's		–			–			8	–	18		.308
Baptist		–			–			8	–	19		.296
Samford		–			–			8	–	19		.296
Canisius		–			–			7	–	19		.269
Houston Baptist		–			–			7	–	19		.269
New Hampshire		–			–			7	–	19		.269
Wagner		–			–			7	–	19		.269
Evansville		–			–			1	–	3		.250
Fairleigh Dickinson		–			–			6	–	18		.250
Valparaiso		–			–			6	–	19		.240
Robert Morris		–			–			4	–	19		.174
Richmond		–			–			4	–	22		.154
Hawaii		–			–			1	–	26		.037
Rankings from AP Poll

Roster

1977–78 Syracuse Orangemen men's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Hometown F/C 44 Marty Byrnes 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Sr Pittsford, New York C 50 Roosevelt Bouie 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So Kendall, New York F 55 Louis Orr 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 175 lb (79 kg) So Cincinnati, Ohio C Danny Schayes 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) — Fr DeWitt, New York	Head coach Jim Boeheim Assistant coach(es) Rick Pitino Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt

Schedule

Date time, TV	Rank#	Opponent#	Result	Record	Site city, state
November 26		Cornell	W 88–61	1–0	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
November 28		at Dayton	L 67–76	1–1	University of Dayton Arena  Dayton, Ohio
November 30		Connecticut	W 101–61	2–1	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
December 2		Le Moyne Carrier Classic	W 90–62	3–1	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
December 3		Michigan State Carrier Classic	W 75–67	4–1	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
December 7		at Colgate	W 99–50	5–1	Cotterell Court  Hamilton, NY
December 10		St. Bonaventure	W 107–81	6–1	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
December 14		at American	W 85–67	7–1	Fort Myer Ceremonial Hall  Arlington, Virginia
December 17		Penn State	W 81–45	8–1	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
December 29	No. 10	vs. Miss State	W 76–66	9–1	The Pitt  Albuquerque, NM
December 30	No. 10	at New Mexico	W 96–91	10–1	The Pitt  Albuquerque, NM
January 3		North Texas	W 94–84	11–1	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
January 11		at Penn State	W 83–77	12–1	Rec Hall  University Park, Pennsylvania
January 14		at Pittsburgh	L 81–86	12–2	Fitzgaerld Field House  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
January 19		La Salle	W 106–96	13–2	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
January 25		Temple	W 91–66	14–2	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
January 28		at Rutgers	L 73–77	14–3	Rutgers Athletic Center  Piscataway, NJ
January 30		at Virginia Tech	L 71–87	14–4	Cassell Coliseum  Blacksurg, Virginia
February 1		Siena	W 100–73	15–4	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
February 11		at West Virginia	W 74–73	16–4	WVU Coliseum  Morgantown, WV
February 15		Buffalo	W 113–66	17–4	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
February 18		at St. John's	W 77–66	18–4	Alumni Hall  Queens, NY
February 20		Fordham	W 109–62	19–4	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
February 22		at Niagara	W 70–69	20–4	Niagara University Student Center  Niagara, NY
February 25		Boston College	W 97–80	21–4	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
February 27		Canisius	W 100–59	22–4	Manley Field House  Syracuse, NY
March 1		vs. St. Bonaventure	L 69–70	22–5	Rochester War Memorial  Rochester, NY
March 11		vs. Western Kentucky NCAA Tournament • First Round	L 86–87 OT	22–6	Stokely Center (12,700) Knoxville, Tennessee
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.