Since its beginnings in 1898 , Syracuse had been independent program until it joined the Big East Conference in 1979 . From 1975 to 1982 , the Eastern College Athletic Conference ( ECAC ) organized annual regional end-of-season men 's basketball tournaments for independent Division I ECAC member colleges and universities in the Northeastern United States . The winner of each regional tournament was declared the ECAC regional champion for the season and received an automatic bid in the NCAA Men 's Division I Basketball Tournament . In 2013 , Syracuse joined the Atlantic Coast Conference
Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
Syracuse Orange men's basketball