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Breaking down why the Syracuse Orange can and will win the championship.

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Syracuse will win the championship if …

The Orange continue to play with a fearless attitude and nothing to lose mentality. After all, many claimed Syracuse wasn’t even worthy of an at-large bid. The early season bumps in the road as Jim Boeheim served a suspension for NCAA violations are ancient history. This is a team that overcame adversity and got stronger as a result, a powerful combination this time of year with momentum factored in.

Now, after becoming the first 10-seed ever to advance to the Final Four, it’s only natural to wonder: Is Syracuse good enough to keep winning? The answer is absolutely, with a pair of remarkable comebacks against Gonzaga and Virginia as compelling evidence. Syracuse won those games thanks to unrelenting full court pressure, forcing turnovers and converting on the offensive end.

Syracuse relies on the long ball, taking over 40 percent of their shots from 3-point range. Malachi Richardson’s confidence is sky high after connecting on 3-of-7 attempts from downtown against Virginia en route to 23 points and seven rebounds. Senior Michael Gbinije has been steady all year for the Orange, averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

Syracuse enters Saturday’s game against North Carolina as nine-point underdogs. Though they’ve fallen to the Tar Heels twice this season, both were competitive games with the last one coming down to the wire in Chapel Hill. If the Orange are able to continue to do what has worked so well for them during this improbable stretch, a historic championship is within reach.

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