Syracuse Basketball: Syracuse vs Virginia; staff prediction
It may be time to hit the panic button for the Syracuse basketball team. If not now, maybe later this week with two big road games. ITLH breaks it down.
Paul A. Esden Jr.- Site Expert (13-3)
Follow: @BoyGreen25
Our staff has gone 0-8 combined over the last two games. This is preposterous! Something will definitely change with so many people picking against the Orange this time around. On paper this is a mismatch nightmare: the Orange are struggling offensively, and the Cavaliers are the No. 1 defense in the country. SU struggles to defend the perimeter, and Virginia is one of the best three point shooting teams in the country. Just for giggles, this is usually the game SU somehow finds a way to win. This pick has zero logic, but I’ll pick the Orange winning 45-44.
Neil Adler- Contributor (12-4)
The struggling Syracuse basketball squad travels south to Charlottesville for a duel with Virginia on Tuesday night. The Orange (12-4, 1-2) is in the midst of a two-game losing streak, falling on the road to Wake Forest last Wednesday, then putting up a clunker at the Carrier Dome versus Notre Dame this past Saturday. The Cavaliers (14-1, 3-0), meanwhile, are now ranked third in the entire country, and they dismantled then-No. 12 North Carolina over the weekend. UVA is tied for first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference at this juncture.
In my opinion, the Cavaliers have the best defense in the nation. To boot, they are extremely difficult to beat at home. SU has some serious offensive woes, as the ‘Cuse collected a paltry 49 points against the Fighting Irish, which didn’t have its top-two scorers in the line-up. Honestly, I don’t see how Syracuse emerges victorious in its clash with Virginia. Our only shot, I believe, is if the Orange gets hot from the field, and it crushes the Cavaliers on the glass. Too much to ask, I think. UVA will defeat SU, 65-59.
Andrew Carey- Contributor (10-4)
This is going to be a tough one for the Orange. UVA is coming off of a huge win over UNC this past Saturday, but I don’t expect to see much of a let down for the Cavs. I think the last two Syracuse games is the team we will need to get used to in the ACC.
I don’t see more than five more wins on the schedule and I don’t see one of them being in Charlottesville. Virginia plays great defense, and we know that Syracuse is extremely limited on offense. I expect Syracuse to come out fired up after two straight losses and an embarrassing one at the hands of Notre Dame. Ultimately Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome will be too much for the Orange to handle, they fall by a score of 55-38.
Next: Syracuse Basketball: Top 30 Players in School History
Josh Peelman- Contributor (13-3)
Follow: @jnpmessenger
Sorry Orange fans but the downward spiral continues in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers are playing high quality basketball while the Orange can’t hit shots. The depth problem is growing. I think the Orange have a team capable of beating any team in the ACC on a given night if they hit shots. Their defense keeps them in games, but they have to shoot better. I think Virginia is stronger defensively and therefore will pull the game away midway through the first half and never look back. Orange fall to 12-5, losing 65-51.