Syracuse students agree: This game will be more of the first.
Syracuse, as expected, opened the season with a nice win over Lafayette. And now the Drexel Dragons come into the Carrier Dome in the hopes of a huge early season upset. But that will likely not be the case as Syracuse is just getting rolling on a season which has shown that Syracuse will be a very high powered shooting team. Drexel is a decent offensive team that is very efficient with the ball, but they were one of the slowest last season. If Syracuse is able to speed this game up and get fast break points, this one will be over early. And there is no reason to think that won't be the case. Drexel's Camren Wynter is their best player, who averaged over 16ppg last season. So he's likely to do some damage from behind the arc. But either way Syracuse will be bigger and have more firepower. Syracuse over Drexel by 24. This game is available on ESPN 2 at 5pm. GO ORANGE!
Labels: Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: It's great to be back.
It's a new season, which means we're back. And by we I mean mostly me. But also sometimes John. But still mostly me. And we have a basketball preview, which means the new season is upon us. Syracuse opens their season against... <checks notes>... Lafayette. The Lafayette Leopards. I applaud them for going with an alliterated mascot. Either way, they were the 2021 Patriot League "division season champs" with a record of 9-5. Syracuse is 8-0 all time against them, last playing in 1995, with John Wallace dropping 20 points on them. Lafayette isn't good defensively and Syracuse is better than every team in the Patriot League. This shouldn't be a contest. Look for Edwards to get some confidence and excel inside, while Cole Swider and Buddy Boeheim (and probably Joe Girard) drill some threes to give Syracuse a big lead early in the 2nd half. This shouldn't be close. The only question is how early Jim pulls the starters to give some younger players some time on the floor. Syracuse by 28. This game is available regionally. Check your local listings here. For everyone else, it's internet only. Welcome back to basketball (even though the football team is very much not done for the year) and, as always, GO ORANGE!
Labels: Basketball, Preview
Syracuse - San Diego State NCAA Tournament Round 1 Preview
0 Comments Published on 3.19.2021 by Brian Harrison
Syracuse students agree: Winning an NCAA Tournament game is the best win of the year.
Finally March Madness is back. And Syracuse made the Big Dance. Apparently fairly easily as they avoided a play in game unlike Michigan State. Syracuse takes on SDSU, who has won a huge streak of games and their conference tournament. Can Syracuse survive and advance?
Syracuse needs to do one thing above all to win the game. That is play good defense. Jordan Schakel shoots 46.7% from three. Syracuse must contest and basically never leave him open to force others to make plays, but they need to contest threes overall. SDSU doesn't get much production from the post, so if Syracuse can force the Aztec Frontcourt to have to score, they should be able to contest well and get some steals in the paint as well. If they allow SDSU to run free and make and take open shots, Buddy Boeheim can make 40 points, but they aren't likely to win. Syracuse either plays good defense, or they lose the game. It's as simple as that. The good news is, own the stretch in their last 4 games, Syracuse has played pretty good defense. Even against Virginia, they allowed the worst shooting player to take the last 3 of the game. He just happened to make it. Additionally, SDSU hasn't faced a Zone all season basically. That gives Syracuse an advantage because as we all know it's tough to simulate that Zone in practice. I want to make it clear, I picked Syracuse in this game. However, I'm now the most superstitious I am all year. Which means I'm taking SDSU by 5. But I think Syracuse is winning.
This game is available on CBS at 9:40pm. Both John and I will be watching. We'll see you out there. LET'S GO ORANGE!
Labels: Basketball, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, Preview
The 2021 Orange::44 NCAA Tournament Bracket Bonanza!
0 Comments Published on 3.16.2021 by Brian Harrison
Let's see how many we can get wrong this time!
Since this went so swimmingly with the ACC Tournament (and COVID forfeits), JBren and I are back. This time with the NCAA Tournament. Syracuse a solid 11 seed in the "Midwest" first takes on SDSU. John has them going a little farther than I do, but that's par for the course. Meanwhile we each have a different champ. See who will cut down the nets, and see who is replaced by Louisville (if anyone). Good luck out there, enjoy the games, and GO ORANGE!
Labels: Basketball, Bracket Challenge, Brackets, NCAA, NCAA Tournament
2021 ACC Tournament Quarterfinal Round Syracuse - Virginia Preview
0 Comments Published on 3.11.2021 by Brian Harrison
Syracuse students agree: Win, and the mystery on Selection Sunday is gone.
The premise is simple. Beat Virginia and there is no doubt Syracuse is in the NCAA Tournament. Syracuse is still on the bubble, but looking pretty good even if they don't win. But it's always nicer to find out where you're in and not if you're in. Either way, Syracuse has to play Virginia so let's get to it.
Syracuse got shredded inside by Sam Hauser in the last matchup. He would catch the ball in the paint, and then either drill a shot over Dolezaj, or make a pass for Jay Huff to make a three. Syracuse has obviously been better at both offense and defense lately. But Virginia is a very good team. Syracuse can win this, just like yesterday. But I'll keep the reverse jinx working and pick Virginia by 13.
This game is available on ESPN 2 at 12:00pm. Both John and I are in the away office so LET'S GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, ACC Tournament, Basketball, Preview
2021 ACC Tournament 2nd Round NC State - Syracuse Preview
0 Comments Published on 3.10.2021 by Brian Harrison
Syracuse students agree: Beating a team three times in a season is fun.
It's Tournament Time again. And Syracuse is facing NC State, a team they have beaten twice already this year. Will Syracuse blow it in that shithole Greensboro again, or can Syracuse advance to take on Virginia for a chance cement their likelihood to dance?
Buddy Boeheim has come alive in the last few weeks, averaging an even 21 points in his last five games. His shooting has helped spark Syracuse in their last two games. We talk a lot about having a go to guy on the team, and lately it has been either Buddy or Allen Griffin. The good news is Quincy Guerrier is 100% after knocking knees in a previous game. Additionally, the week of rest has seemed to do everyone some good as it sounds like the entire team is back at 100%. Syracuse did two things well against NC State in their two meetings. Shoot the 3 well, and get steals. Syracuse racked up 20 turnovers on NC State in their last meeting. They need to do that again. If Syracuse can get steals and keep pace with 3s in this one, this will be another win, close or not. If NC State gets Jericole Hellems going again, who torched Syracuse in Syracuse, and played well at home, Syracuse could be in for a long day. It's Tournament Time, so anything can happen. I do think Syracuse wins this one, but I'm more superstitious during March than any other time of the year. Therefore, I'm taking NC State by 5, but this is not real.
This game is available on The ACC Network at 12:00pm. John will be taking a long lunch. I'll have it on somewhere I'm sure. Hopefully we'll see you tomorrow and GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, ACC Tournament, Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Gotta end the regular season with a win.
Syracuse managed a nice win at home on Monday against UNC. Now Syracuse can avenge another road loss with Clemson to wrap up this COVID season. Syracuse needs a win either way.
The last game against Clemson wasn't good. While the Clemson defense is pretty good, it wasn't as good as keeping Syracuse to 30% from the floor and 25% from three. It was an off night on the road for almost the entire team. Boeheim, Griffin, and even Richmond all had bad nights in extended minutes. Joe Girard was the only player that managed a pretty good game for Syracuse, making 7-13 from the floor for 19 points. The real issue was Syracuse didn't make shots, and Clemson shot 43.5% from three and 52.9% overall. And obviously Syracuse has some defensive issues, but like their offensive performance, Syracuse is capable of better. So tonight is pretty simple. Syracuse either plays better defense and shoots the ball better, or Clemson wins again. They are on a five game win streak, so they have the ability to get hot. Syracuse must cover Nick Honor, who made 5-8 from three. Otherwise it's a senior night loss for Syracuse, with a lot of games in the ACC Tournament in Greensboro to go for Syracuse to have any confidence at all on this messed up Selection Sunday. Syracuse is capable of winning, just like they did Monday. Especially with Boeheim hot and the newfound Jesse Edwards playing above his expectations. Just for superstition's sake, I'm taking Clemson by nine.
This game is available on The ACC Network at 5:00pm. Enjoy and GO ORANGE! Thanks to the seniors, especially if they aren't coming back next year.
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: It's preferable to make sure Roy doesn't get #901.
Syracuse is likely outside looking in. Either way, Syracuse still doesn't have their intended starting center. And earlier this season, Syracuse was relatively dominated by UNC. Can Syracuse get one back against them at home?
UNC is still a team that attacks the basket and the paint, and doesn't make a ton of 3s. That's exactly how it played out in the first game. Bacot and Brooks weren't quite unstoppable in the paint, but pretty close. Guerrier did well, earning a game high 23 points. And Boeheim had 18 points, hitting 4-9 from three. Honestly, this game should go the same way. UNC will bang the boards and shoot in the paint. Syracuse will get some production in the paint, but will rely on Boeheim, Griffin, and others to make shots. The game was close the first time, with UNC only winning by six points. Syracuse does have a shot to win this one. But I'm still taking UNC by 13.
This game is available on ESPN at 7:00pm. I'm off the grid tonight. GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Beating Duke is great, no matter the circumstances.
After a major comeback win, being down 20 points to Notre Dame on Saturday, Syracuse turns right around with a TON of momentum to take on Duke down in North Carolina. While Syracuse isn't dead without beating Duke, it would go a long way to get them on the right side of the bubble. So can Syracuse again rise to the occasion and pull the win off down in Durham?
Syracuse obviously had a huge lift with Buddy Boeheim exploding against Notre Dame, after a dismal first half by the team. Obviously, if Buddy Boeheim is clicking and making shots, that not only is good for Syracuse on the scoreboard, but it pulls defenders who have to guard Boeheim closer, to free up other options on offense. And getting Boeheim in the flow will be critical in helping break up the good defense of Duke, especially Jordan Goldwire, who steals the ball a ton off the bench for Syracuse. But really, it comes down to Syracuse defending, just like Saturday. F Matthew Hurt is the man Syracuse will have to stop. He's averaged over 20 points in his last 3 games, and Syracuse needs to make sure he has no easy buckets. It seems like Syracuse can be relied upon in scoring a decent clip. The key is can Syracuse adjust earlier than the half, like they did against Notre Dame, and keep Duke either close or behind to control down the stretch. An fairly empty Cameron should help the cause as well. I'm just a little superstitious at this point in picking Syracuse in a highly contested game. Despite having a ton of momentum and confidence after Saturday, Duke is on their own winning streak. Just because they are at home, I'm taking Duke in a close one. Blue Devils unfortunately by seven.
This game is available on ESPN (obviously) at 7:00pm. Beat Duke and LET'S GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Duke, Preview, We Hate Duke
Syracuse students agree: Beating Notre Dame is always good, resume or not.
Unfortunately for Syracuse, a chance for Syracuse to earn a big win was cancelled due to another COVID positive in Louisville. Either way, a streaky Notre Dame team comes into the Dome to take on Syracuse. And Syracuse needs to keep winning. Syracuse has a good chance with a Notre Dame team that started the year poorly, but has managed to win some good games as of late. Notre Dame is basically a team with good offense, and poor defense and rebounding. Notre Dame does what Notre Dame always does. They shoot the 3 well. They hit 38.1% from three as a team, and Nate Laszewski hits over 50%. It's pretty simple. Syracuse will either defend the three point line as they have against NC State and BC, or they'll defend like they did against Virginia and Clemson. Syracuse, especially Griffin, has been a lot better at defending lately. So Syracuse will continue to do that, and create turnovers against a team that normally doesn't, or they won't. If they let Laszewski run wild, the game will be over quick. The good news is that Syracuse should have a bit of a rebounding edge against ND, so if Syracuse defends the line well enough to prevent easy, open looks for Notre Dame, it should be a one and done possession for the Irish. Syracuse, in theory, should win this game, but obviously they need to defend. I'm taking a flyer on Syracuse in this one at home. Syracuse over Notre Dame by six.
This game is available on The ACC Network at 2:00pm. Notre Dame sucks and LET'S GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Notre Lame, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Winning is pretty important at this point.
Syracuse did a good job to come back against NC State in the Dome last week. But then Syracuse traveled to Clemson and got smacked around. Now Syracuse needs to get wins against anyone ahead of them. Since Syracuse beat them earlier in the year, Syracuse has a chance to do the same on the road against NC State.
Syracuse came back against NC State by scoring from Allen Griffin, along with Kadary Richmond soring 14 off the bench on 6-7 shooting from the floor. Additionally, Boeheim, Dolezaj, and Guerrier.. Syracuse really struggled to stop Jericole Hellems from scoring at will. He had 24 in the loss. But he carved up Syracuse inside. The difference today is that Sidibe has returned to the team, an was at least effective in altering shots and provided some offense in their last game. Stopping Braxton Beverly from behind the arc, will also be important for Syracuse. But again, NC State is not a powerhouse shooting team. If Syracuse comes out and makes baskets before even needing to drive inside, they will probably win the game. If they aren't, and are forced to drive, Syracuse will have to make the bunnies they have missed the last few games. Honestly this game could go either way. If Syracuse is able to get a lead and not allow NC State to run wild on offense in the first half, the good news is Syracuse has the experience to close a close game out. They have won more close games this season than they have lost. So in a close game, even on the road, I would give the advantage to Syracuse. But Syracuse hasn't played well on the road, and after the Clemson game I just don't have faith that Syracuse can stop scorers and go out and shoot the lights out. In a close one I'll give the advantage to NC State for being at home. NC State by 8.
This game is available at 6:30pm on The ACC Network. Home Office. GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
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
Syracuse students agree: Getting another home win is great.
Syracuse was crushed at #8 Virginia inside, and for also not making any shots. But before that, Syracuse won their previous two home games, including against ranked Virginia Tech, by an average of 22 points. Syracuse has the chance to get firmly on the right side of the bubble against a fellow bubble team, and stop the odd losing streak against NC State as well.
NC State comes into the Dome their first game after losing their best player to an ACL injury, effectively ending his season. Devon Daniels averaged 16.5ppg and almost 50% from the floor. He will be missed by NC State, who now has to make up that offense. But also rebounding. Syracuse needs to drive and get good scoring opportunities like they did against VTech. Earning free throws and getting NC State into foul trouble will go a long way in winning the game. NC State doesn't take many 3's but when they do, the usually make them. So they either need to force players to go inside, or take so many contested outside shots that they get out of rhythm and miss a bunch, allowing Syracuse to take advantage by limiting possessions of the opponent and earning fast break points. Even without a major shot blocking presence in the middle of this zone, they should be able to handle NC State. This is a very winable game for Syracuse. I'm picking the Orange by nine.
This game is available on the ACC network at 6:00pm. I'll be watching, along with John. GO ORNAGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Winning this game would be big.
Syracuse got it rolling with Miami, but then followed up with a big win over the #2 team in the league in Virginia Tech. Now Syracuse has a ton of momentum to take on the top team in the league in their only meeting of the season with Virginia. Syracuse won in overtime last season at Virginia. Can they get another win in Charlottesville?
Syracuse earned a lot of points in the paint against Virginia Tech. However, that is less likely against Virginia with Jay Huff defending. An excellent shot blocker and rebounder, Dolezaj (and maybe Edwards) has their hands full. But that being said, Guerrier or Dolezaj, or even the guards can get him into foul trouble by driving on him smartly. Additionally, Boeheim and Girard can hit some floaters or mid-range shots in the lane that can draw him out to free up some space for passes and other shots. Unfortunately Virginia doesn't turn the ball over much, leading to not many easy baskets. The bottom line is Syracuse will need to make three point buckets if they want to win this game. And they probably need to make more than Virginia. The bad part is that Syracuse hasn't shot well from behind the arc in the last few games. Because this game is at Virginia, and Syracuse hasn't shot the ball well lately, I'm picking Virginia by 11. But Syracuse could surprise, just like last year.
This game is available nationally on ESPN at 7:00pm. Both John and I will be watching. Enjoy it and GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Winning today would be very nice.
Syracuse demolished Miami in their last game on Tuesday. Both Edwards and Richmond made some nice plays and played some quality minutes, especially when Dolezaj was struggling at the C position on defense. Now Syracuse faces the #2 team in the league in Virginia Tech, which a big opportunity for a resume building win.
Virginia Tech doesn't stand out and doing anything great, but they do do everything well. They are good at shooting, they defend well, and they don't turn the ball over too much. However, they really only have one major outside shooting threat in Tyrece Radford, who has averaging just about 48% from behind the arc. He doesn't take a ton of shots, but makes the shots he takes. Syracuse guards, but more importantly forwards, will have to key on him to make sure he's not getting uncontested looks. Syracuse also can't afford to turn the ball over and let VTech take advantage of easy runouts. And unlike the Pittsburgh game, Edwards and Guerrier will hopefully lead the effort in boxing out to prevent second chance opportunities for VTech, which they generally thrive on. This is a toss up game for me today. Syracuse has the chance to get going on the offensive end, and make this one a shoot out, or Syracuse can pull away by playing solid defense and rebounding. This is a tough one to predict, but since Syracuse is at home I'll give that the slight edge and say Syracuse over VTech by four.
This game is available regionally at 12:00pm. Check your local listings here. For everyone else, it's internet only hell, like me. John will be watching via cable. We'll see you out there. GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Redemption is at hand.
Syracuse was definitely the underdog, but they had a chance to beat UNC on Tuesday. They came up short though, clearly missing a bigger body to rebound and defend, and yes maybe even score, from the center position. That's not a jab at Dolezaj. It's just a bigger body need to match up with a bigger body. So can Syracuse now get revenge against Pittsburgh after they did the same thing to Syracuse in the Dome?
Syracuse had a pretty commanding lead going into the half against Pitt in Syracuse. However, shooting droughts, the hesitance to go in the paint, and Pitt making threes down the stretch, earned Pitt an unlikely comeback win. Frankly it was one of the biggest collapses Syracuse has had in the last few seasons. And it probably wouldn't have happened with Sidibe in the lineup. Well, despite the 4 week timetable for his injury recovery coming and going, he's still out and not likely to return soon. No one else behing him is big enough or competent enough to play as Sidibe would have at the 5. Dolezaj is doing what he can, and is a solid offensive contributor, but he's still not as big as Sidibe. And Pitt was short handed last time they played. John Hugley on Pitt has been suspended indefinitely after being charged with several felonies. But news this hour came that Pitt's leading scorer Justin Champaigne is expected to play today. He's averaging 17.8ppg. It's not looking good for Syracuse. If they want to stay in it, they must get points of steals more than they did the other day. And they can't afford the dismal shot selection either. They have to drive and make outside baskets, along with good transition plays. Oh yeah, and Dolezaj and Guerrier have to stay out of foul trouble, despite Pitt likely going at both of them. Seems like a tall task sadly. I've obviously been wrong before, but I just don't have a good feeling about this game. Pitt over Syracuse by 13.
This game is available on the regional coverage at 12:00pm. Check your local listings here. I'll be in internet streaming hell, while John will be watching on crisp, clear cable. GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Pittsburgh, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Beating UNC was a blast last year.
Syracuse ended last season with a massive 28 point victory over UNC in the ACC Tournament. Then the world shut down. Now Syracuse heads down to Chapel Hill to take on UNC in a rescheduled game from earlier this year. UNC has a slight edge. Can Syracuse make it two in a row against UNC?
Syracuse and UNC are kind of opposites. UNC drives the ball a lot, and doesn't really take many outside shots. Syracuse relies on their outside and mid-range shooting, and especially without Guerrier in the game, don't go inside very much. So either Syracuse is able to stop UNC from scoring inside, and getting into a ton of foul trouble, or UNC won't be stopped inside, and somehow UNC goes off on threes. Obviously Syracuse can't afford long stretches of not scoring. I don't know if Sidibe is back in the game or not, but if he isn't, the odds aren't in Syracuse's favor. Either way, unless Syracuse has a stellar day, I think UNC will dominate the boards and will likely beat Syracuse, even in a close game. UNC by 9.
This game is available on ACC Network at 9pm. Both John and I will be watching from the home office. GO ORANGE!
Labels: ACC, Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: This is always the most important non-conference game.
After dropping a massive collapse in one of the worst days in American history, Syracuse looks to rebound. And fortunately for Syracuse that just happens to be another old rivalry game, the biggest rivalry. And boy are they really not good.
Georgetown's lone Big East win is against St. John's in overtime. Meanwhile, Syracuse came up just short against a good Rutgers team, but did manage to dispatch a solid Buffalo squad before their second pause. Georgetown is plagued by ball control issues. They don't cause any turnovers and they give the ball up a ton. G'town ranks 334th in the nation in creating turnovers. That is not good. Syracuse can get a big boost by turning G'town over in the paint, and getting easy runouts or free throws. Syracuse failed to drive against Pitt when the shots weren't falling. Dolezaj has said that when the shots aren't falling they need to be more aggressive. Look for Syracuse to push the ball in transition, but also feed Guerrier for buckets at the rim. If Georgetown stars missing shots from outside, that will allow Syracuse to pack the zone and cause even more turnovers in the paint. While Syracuse will likely have spurts of bad shots and no scoring, Syracuse should be able to get a lead and keep it in this one. Georgetown will have to have a player go off to stay in this one, but that seems unlikely. Georgetown is only decent at long range shooting, so they will have to go inside at some point. That's when Syracuse will start their run. Syracuse over Georgetown by 18.
This game is available on ESPN at 7:00pm. Both John and I would normally be at this game (obviously), but unfortunately we'll both be watching from the home office. Here's hoping the rightful team wins. HOYS SUXA! GO ORANGE... AND GEORGETOWN STILL SUCKS!
Labels: Basketball, Georgetown, Georgetown Still Sucks, Preview, Rivalries
Syracuse students agree: It's good to beat every other school from your state on your schedule.
Syracuse has a close call against Northeastern on Wednesday, only making two shots from behind the arc. Buddy Boeheim and Alan Griffin combined for two points. Dolezaj had some pretty good looks near the basket, but they just didn't seem to fall. Syracuse is only playing UB, but another performance like that will spell another loss to Buffalo in the Dome.
Syracuse had an uncharacteristic night on Wednesday. After absolutely destroying Boston College on the road, Syracuse couldn't hit the ocean from a boat against Northeastern at home. Literally every player had an off night at the same time. The good thing is they were playing Northeastern. In theory it shouldn't happen two games in a row for everyone. I expect Boeheim or Griffin bust out. But obviously the smart money is feeding Guerrier again and again. Syracuse should run away with the game if they keep getting points off turnovers at the front of the Zone, but they are also getting good inside looks from Guerrier, to open up action for everyone else. On the other side, obviously the Zone allows some looks from three for Buffalo. But Buffalo isn't a big three point shooting team. Most of their points are earned inside, and mostly from Jeenathan Williams, who gets 20ppg. If Syracuse minds the paint and keeps track of Willaims inside, Syracuse should do enough to prevent the Bulls from staying close. I don't think Syracuse will have a down day. After getting an ass chewing from Boeheim at practice, I'm guessing they'll come out and be a little sharper than last time. I'm taking the Orange by 17.
This game is available on The ACC Network at 6:00pm. Both John and I will be watching. The battle for Upstate NY commences. GO ORANGE!
Labels: Basketball, Preview
Syracuse students agree: This game came together quick.
Syracuse put together this game seemingly within a week. But Northeastern wants a game and so does Syracuse. So the Huskies took a bus over I-90 to Syracuse to take on the Orange in the Dome. And with the team at full strength (minus Sidibe) coming of a monster win at Boston College, Syracuse is primed to have another big non-conference win.
Syracuse had a massive offensive day, earning their biggest win margin in an ACC game ever, as well has having all five starters in double digits, with Allen Griffin leading the way with 22 points. Syracuse had everything rolling, both inside and outside, and moved the ball extremely well. I expect that should continue today. Obviously the thing to watch out for is the continued good play of Joe Girard after a rough start to the year. Either way, Syracuse has moved the ball extremely well all season, getting 23 assists as a team against BC, and staying above 15 in every game of the season. Syracuse should do the same today as well. Northeastern has only played two games this season, both against UMass after a home and home. Previously Northeastern had games against Maine and UMass Lowell cancelled. However, in those two games, the Huskies only hit 12 of 34 shots from three. Northeastern is a team that prefers to do their damage in the lane, and they hit over 50% from two. As long as Syracuse manages to stay out of foul trouble, and play remotely solid defense, forcing Northeastern to take way more shots than they should, Syracuse should cruise to another big win. And I think that's exactly what will happen. Syracuse by 24.
This game is available on The ACC Network at 3:00pm. With the odd start time, pretend it's the ACC Tournament or something and sneak some views from your phone when the boss isn't watching. As always, GO ORANGE!
Labels: Basketball, Preview