NCAA Tournament Features Former Syracuse Stars Despite Team Absence

Syracuse, N.Y. — While the Syracuse Orange basketball team will not compete in this year’s NCAA Tournament, several former players and coaches associated with the program are set to make their mark in March Madness.

The NCAA unveiled its 68-team bracket on Selection Sunday, highlighting the presence of multiple former SU athletes in both men’s and women’s tournaments. Syracuse last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2021, but this year will feature many alumni, showcasing their talents in various jerseys.

One standout is Kadary Richmond, now with St. John’s, who has helped propel the Red Storm to a No. 2 seed in the West Region. This season, Richmond is averaging 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He is also recognized as a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award. Previously, he played at Seton Hall, where he earned first-team All-Big East honors.

Maliq Brown, a junior at Duke, is recovering from a dislocated shoulder, which raises uncertainty about his participation as a No. 1 seed in the East Region. Brown averaged 2.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in a supporting role for a highly talented roster.

Meanwhile, Frank Anselem-Ibe, now at Louisville, is aiming to have an impact as they enter the tournament as an No. 8 seed. After signing a one-year deal worth around $300,000 following his tenure at Georgia, Anselem’s role on the team remains limited, averaging just 3.7 minutes per game.

Quadir Copeland, representing McNeese State, is another name to watch. He started his collegiate career at Syracuse and has transitioned into a pivotal sixth-man role with McNeese. He averages 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds this season.

Brycen Goodine, on his fourth school after starting at Syracuse in 2019, is currently with Oklahoma. He has found success shooting 43.4% from beyond the arc this season and started 18 of 30 games.

Women’s basketball also showcases former Orange players, including Faith Blackstone, who leads Stephen F. Austin with averages of 14.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while Alyssa Latham represents Tennessee. Latham, in her first season after transferring, started five games and has averaged 3.8 points.

Former Syracuse women’s coach Quentin Hillsman, now at Ole Miss, has led the Rebels as a No. 5 seed and will face Ball State in the first round. Hillsman has had a successful career, previously leading Syracuse to the national championship game in 2016.

Rick Pitino, the legendary coach and former SU assistant, has taken St. John’s to new heights. Under his direction, St. John’s achieved its first outright Big East title in four decades and heads into the tournament as a No. 2 seed, facing Omaha in their opening round.

As the NCAA Tournament approaches, Syracuse alumni competing in various iterations of March Madness embody the enduring legacy of the program, even as the team sits out this year’s action.