We're at the halfway point of the Syracuse basketball season, so I think it's an appropriate time for a midterm report card.

At 15-1 overall and 3-0 in the Big East, the Orange's campaign already seems like a triumph.

(Channeling my inner Lee Corso) Not so fast my friends.

Saying the season is already a success is like saying Jurassic Park was a success before the dinosaurs broke out of their cages.

Believe me folks, the worst is yet to come.

After Saturday's game at Rutgers, the Orange have four straight dates with Georgetown, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Louisville. And I guarantee these dates won't end with a kiss at the door.

But for now, Syracuse can be proud that it's taken care of business. The Orange have three substantial wins - Kansas, Florida and Memphis - and one semi-substantial win - Virginia.

They've gone from unranked in the preseason to 11th in the country.

And, if you've been living in a cave for the past two months and haven't heard, SU's only loss came on a 60-foot buzzer-beater.

It's been a step in the right direction for a team that's missed two straight NCAA tournaments. But that doesn't mean everything is peaches and cream.

Syracuse still has a lot it needs to improve on.

So, without any further rambling, here's my mid-season grades.

Guards

Grade: A-

Entering the season, I thought this would be a major strength. Jonny Flynn was destined for a big year, while the returns of Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf would give Syracuse an added mix of experience and energy.

Thus far, Flynn has done nothing to disappoint, while Rautins is shooting the ball as well as anyone in the country.

Syracuse even won its two games without Devendorf, who was suspended after an altercation with another student. But with him back, the Orange possess two key ingredients - shootability and driveability. And yes, I made up both those words.

Flynn, Rautins and Devendorf are all big-time 3-point threats, while Flynn and Devendorf can break down any defender off the dribble.

All three are terrific ball-handlers and passers. The biggest surprise though may be Rautins, who was always categorized as just a shooter. The former Jamesville-Dewitt standout has solidified himself as one of the team's best defenders, and at 3.7 assists per game, he's a tremendous distributor.

There's no doubt that Syracuse's greatest strength is its backcourt. These guys are the team's ignition switch. Syracuse only goes as far as the guards take it.

Forwards

Grade: B

Offensively, you couldn't ask for more out of Paul Harris, Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson. The three are combining to average 31.8 points per game, nearly 40 percent of the team's total offense.

And the rebound totals aren't bad either - they're averaging 21.8 boards per game.

While they may be attacking the glass, they're not defending it.

Opponents are getting too many second-chance points against the Orange, and that's a direct result of offensive rebounding. Syracuse was crushed on the boards by Memphis and Canisius. Kansas and Virginia also outrebounded the Orange.

And in the loss to Cleveland State, Syracuse's interior defense was atrocious.

Jim Boeheim has expressed his displeasure with the team's rebounding this season, and has singled out Onuaku on several occasions.

Though, things may have improved. Since Jackson entered the starting lineup five games ago, Syracuse is outrebounding the opposition 216-184.

Having Onuaku and Jackson on the floor at the same time is a huge advantage. It gives SU the opportunity to run some high-lows - Jackson is a good passer from the top of the key. Plus, it takes pressure off both guys. Jackson can play to his strength, be a shot-blocker while Onuaku can hang back and crash the boards.

As for Harris, you know what you're getting each night. He's an energy guy who'll defend and rebound. He's also at his best when he's attacking the rim and getting to the free-throw line. At 6-4, Harris may not look like a forward, but he plays much taller than he looks.

And if you aren't sold on Harris' worth to this team, just look at the tape from the South Florida game. Harris sits out with an injured hand and Syracuse produces its lowest point total of the season.

That's no coincidence.

Bench

Grade: B-

Having Devendorf come off the bench definitely bolsters this grade. And while he's not technically a starter any more, Devendorf is still playing starter's minutes.

As for the rest of the bench, freshman Kris Joseph is playing more minutes, but I'm still not totally confident with him on the floor.

He's not a good enough shooter to camp out behind the 3-point line and he's not strong enough to continually attack the basket.

But he's shown plenty of potential. Joseph runs the floor well and is a decent defender. At 6-7, he should be a better rebounder than he is, but that will come with experience.

After Joseph, there's not much else. Kristof Ongenaet has slipped from a starter to a non-factor. Ongenaet is a hustle guy, but his inability to make the easiest of shots has greatly diminished his court time. Against DePaul, he was relegated to clean-up minutes after the game was out of reach.

Freshman Mookie Jones also hasn't seen much action. Jones has played in just nine games and hasn't proven he can do anything but shoot.

Regardless, Syracuse's depth is much better than in past years. There is a solid rotation of seven to eight guys, which will be important when more physical Big East teams force the starters into foul trouble.

Coaching

Grade: B+

Even Jimmy B gets graded. And this year, he's doing some of his finest work.

I haven't seen Boeheim coach this much in years. He's switching defenses and lineups more often than he ever has.

And I've got to give him some major kudos. Syracuse and the 2-3 zone have been synonymous for the past two decades. But this season, Boeheim has adapted to meet the skill sets of his players.

Flynn, Harris and Rautins are above-average man-to-man defenders whose talents are masked in a zone. Thus, Boeheim has Syracuse playing more man defense than it has in years.

And on certain nights when the man-to-man struggles, Boeheim quickly switches to a zone to change things up.

Of course, when Syracuse wins, it makes Boeheim look like a genius. But if you watch him on the sideline, he's coaching his butt off. And for a coach who is known for letting his players play, it's a welcome change that might just be working.

Overall

Grade: B+

You can't argue with 15-1. And you can't argue with this team's upside.

I think Syracuse can be a top-10 team and I think it can make a run at a Big East title.

But nothing will come easy. The Orange haven't played any of the conference's elite teams yet, so a letdown is inevitable.

Syracuse will lose games. There are just too many great teams in the Big East.

So the big question that remains is how will the Orange deal with these losses? They've only experienced one defeat this season, so it's not fully known how this team bounces back.

Syracuse is good. As good as Pittsburgh? Probably not.

But on any given night, the Orange could be.

And that's the first-half story - Syracuse looks like it can play with the best teams in the country.

Fortunately, Syracuse plays in the Big East. So that theory will be put to the test.