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Syracuse Basketball: ACC Tournament Standings Preview- Edition 2

By Josh Peelman

Feb 22, 2017; Syracuse, NY, USA; A general view of the Carrier Dome during the second half of the game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Syracuse Orange. The Orange won 78-75. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2017; Syracuse, NY, USA; A general view of the Carrier Dome during the second half of the game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Syracuse Orange. The Orange won 78-75. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /
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Syracuse Basketball was riding high after beating Duke last Wednesday. Now after a brutal loss to Louisville Sunday, they have fallen to the middle of the ACC standings again. What seed does Syracuse now occupy in the ACC Tournament? ITLH let’s you know.

Most Syracuse fans are still feeling pretty good about the teams chances to get in the NCAA tournament. That’s even after a brutal loss, 88-68, at Louisville. Why? Probably because Syracuse Basketball has three top-10 wins according to ESPN.com. and is 6-7 versus the top 50.

Picking up some more quality wins to boost their chances wouldn’t hurt though. So who might Syracuse play in the ACC Tournament?

Well, I’m glad you asked because last week it looked like they were a 7-seed, but after a bad loss to Louisville they dropped down a few seeds. As of right now the Orange still would get a first round bye in the ACC tournament.

First things First: Beat Georgia Tech on Senior Day:

A loss to Georgia Tech in our last regular season game would drop us to the first round of play. That’s something we don’t want, as I’ll describe in a moment.

It would also be a major bubble killer losing to them twice in the same season when they’re also on the bubble. Not to mention it would also be a home loss on Senior day. That aside, we hope our boys come out victorious for all the above reasons.

Syrcause Baketball team is hoping they can beat fellow bubble team, the the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, on Saturday so they can improve their resume and ACC Tournament seeding. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Syrcause Baketball team is hoping they can beat fellow bubble team, the the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, on Saturday so they can improve their resume and ACC Tournament seeding. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

If Syracuse beats Georgia Tech, the Orange will have a little higher seed (probably) and get the first round bye. As of right now though, Syracuse Basketball is projected to be a 9-seed (barring tonight’s results) in the ACC Tournament. (according to Syracuse.com) That would set us up with a matchup against 8-seed Virginia Tech.

Second- Approach ACC Tournament with Clean Slate mentality:

If you can remember earlier in ACC play, Syracuse lost to Virginia Tech, 73-83 on January 10th. That was a road game though, and before this team really started to gel. So in my mind, we have a clean slate if we play them in the ACC Tournament. Not to mention this time around the game will be at the Barclays Center in New York City (Brooklyn). That crowd should be pro-Syracuse, which should almost amount to a home game, where Syracuse has played well.

So that matchup doesn’t scare me much. What does scare me is if Syracuse is a 9-seed, they would be on the top portion of the ACC bracket. In last weeks post, which you can see in the link below, I talked about how many teams there were to dread on the top portion. That fear still remains.

Next: Syracuse Basketball: ACC Tournament Standings Preview- Edition 1

Third: Try not to Look Ahead at the Top Portion of the ACC Bracket:

Teams in our section of the bracket currently include: North Carolina, Louisville, Duke, and dreaded Pittsburgh. The worst part is though if the Orange beat Virginia Tech, they would face North Carolina in the next round. Considering they’re a projected 1 seed in the NCAA tournament that looks like an early exit for Syracuse. Along with it goes chances for more quality wins to boost our chances.

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Syracuse doesn’t want to be the 9-seed or lower for all these reasons. This makes beating Georgia Tech to close out the regular season even more vital. Syracuse stands better chances versus other ranked teams than they do against the Tar Heels.

It’s not a lack of confidence in the team or our pro-Syracuse crowd. Rather its simply that they’re a Goliath and we’re a David. David’s don’t win win all that often if you hear what I’m saying. When they do though, they get to the Final Four, like Syracuse did last year.

Fourth- Pray for a Miracle Run:

What’s worse is if the Orange did miraculously beat UNC, they would have Duke or Louisville probably in the next round. So an ACC Tournament run this year isn’t likely if they get a 9 seed or lower. So hope and pray the lower pack of the ACC loses to end the regular season, and that Syracuse beats the Yellow Jackets.

Next: Syracuse Basketball: John Gillon Setting School and Conference Free Throw Records

Assuming these results hold, which they probably won’t, and conference games can go either way this time of year, Syracuse can climb up or down the ACC standings still. March is March Madness for a reason. Inside the Loud House will update the bracket next week after the Georgia Tech game on Saturday.

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