If you didn’t already know it, Vermont head coach Tom Brennan’s face told you everything – Syracuse wasn’t supposed to lose on Friday.

‘This win really validates us,’ Brennan said. ‘I just hope I don’t stay up too long and I get back here on Sunday because this is gonna be a big party for your boy tonight.’

Excuse Brennan for getting caught up in the moment, the win was simply too exciting for him to act like he had been there before. Upsets happen, but not like this. Not a 13 seed over a four seed that had two player of the year candidates. Not against a team that returned all five of its starters from 2004’s Sweet 16 run.

But with the way Syracuse played all season, the loss shouldn’t have surprised anyone. The 2004-2005 season showed promise for the Orange, but it will be remembered for the way Syracuse underachieved.

The season began innocently enough. With all the talent SU returned, experts were placing high expectations on the Orange. A No. 6 preseason ranking and talks of the Final Four didn’t seem all that far fetched.

At SU’s preseason media day, Billy Edelin talked to the media for the first time since disappearing from the team in February, saying there was no chance the problems that plagued him last year would return. Five days later, he was granted an academic waiver that allowed him to play through the end of the season.

At media day, SU head coach Jim Boeheim said the key to success was the development of the sophomores. And judging by the flashes of dominance they showed in practice there was reason to believe much success would follow.

Gerry McNamara returned fully healed from a stress fracture in his pelvis and Hakim Warrick developed a mid-range game. Yep, the Orange would be good.

In SU’s 74-60 loss to Oklahoma State on Dec. 7, 2004, the Orange stuck with the Cowboys until its free-throw percentage fell through the floor. But even then there was an ailment that could be remedied. More practice, it seemed, would make SU unbeatable.

The Orange rattled off 13 straight wins and climbed to a No. 4 ranking. But pause here because the paint is about to start chipping off. SU’s 18-point second-half comeback at the RAC to beat Rutgers was simply too good to be true. Even during the 2003 national championship season, Syracuse lost at Rutgers.

Now as you proceed through the Orange’s final nine games, things are going to start coming apart. SU went 4-5 and dropped two each to Pittsburgh and Connecticut, exposing a rebounding weakness.

Edelin played his last game on Feb. 29 in a loss to Boston College, while Boeheim announced that his point guard had taken a step back off the court. Edelin’s teammates said they just hoped he could make it through the end of the season.

During the stretch, Boeheim’s sophomores showed inconsistency. Demetris Nichols only appeared in five games and Louie McCroskey was replaced in the starting lineup by Edelin on Feb. 12 after inconsistent showings.

‘It looked like (McCroskey) had never played a game of basketball,’ Boeheim said at the time.

Still Boeheim hoped for someone else to prove himself worthy of that starting spot. Roberts replaced Edelin following the B.C. game and proved effective at times.

‘I’m not comfortable with the big lineup,’ he said. ‘It’s not the best lineup. No team in basketball history has been successful playing three big guys – even two.’

Syracuse won its next three games to take the Big East Championship. But even in SU’s final two wins the Orange dropped double-digit halftime leads to squeak by Connecticut and West Virginia. The Orange showed potential but would soon come crashing down.

You know the rest. Syracuse lost, 60-57, in overtime to the Catamounts. McNamara shot 1 for 7 from the 3-point line (4-for-18 overall) while Edelin and freshmen Dayshawn Wright and Josh Wright didn’t even make it to the game. Syracuse played right into Vermont’s style of play.

But next year is a new season. Another beginning. A fresh start. All the clichs say that Syracuse’s finish in 2005 won’t affect how it plays in 2006. Warrick, Pace and senior Craig Forth will be gone. But McNamara and a new crop of freshmen can resurrect this team.

And with the four sophomores likely to take the reins as juniors, maybe Boeheim’s hopes for them at this year’s preseason media day will come true next season. At least we’ll know enough not to be disappointed if they fall short.