Syracuse students agree: This would be a nice little win.
Syracuse pulled out a close game against NC State after a dreadful first half of defense. Syracuse adjusted, made some nice offensive plays, and came out the winner against fellow bubble team NC State. Syracuse now has a chance for another solid win, this time on the road, down at Clemson.
This is an interesting matchup on paper. Syracuse has one of the more efficient offenses in the country, ranking in the top 40. Clemson has the 14th best defense in the country and forces 15.4 turnovers a game. If Syracuse is careless with the ball, Clemson will take advantage. However, the Clemson offense ranks dead last in the ACC, and they are 227th in the country in three point shooting. That's very good news for a team that plays exclusively 2-3 Zone defense. Either Clemson will be forced to make tough shots inside a packed zone, or they will have to jack up a bunch of threes when that isn't their game at all. That bodes well for a Syracuse team in a game that could see the return of Bourama Sidibe, who at the very least could grab some rebounds and block some shots, if not get a few put backs of his own. Syracuse will have to score on the other end as well, and if they get hot, this game should be over. If Syracuse plays even a modicum of defense, and covers Aamir Simms, the only player scoring in double figures for Clemson, Syracuse has a chance to run away with a road win. The more I look at this game on paper, the more my mouth waters and I'm talking myself into a big win. I may get let down, but I'm here for it. Syracuse over Clemson by 14.
This game is available on The ACC Network at 2:00pm. Home office as usual. GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
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