The Syracuse basketball squad, clinging to its hopes for a NCAA Tournament bid, travels to Miami for a critical ACC affair.
The 2017-18 season for the SU hoops outfit has proven an ongoing theme of “what ifs.”
As in, what if the ‘Cuse had made one or two more buckets here and there, gotten one or two additional defensive stops, connected on one or two extra free throws, and committed one or two fewer turnovers?
Hypotheticals are hypotheticals, and speculation is overdone. But, it’s clear to me that if the Orange (17-9, 6-7) experienced just one or two more positive things throughout a handful of its games, then we’re not discussing whether Syracuse has a shot at the Big Dance.
We’re talking about what seed the ‘Cuse will collect during March Madness.
Take, for instance, the Valentine’s Day duel between SU and N.C. State inside the Carrier Dome.
The schools played nearly identical basketball, however, the Wolfpack (17-9, 7-6) drilled several clutch 3-pointers as the contest winded down, while the Orange clanged multiple attempts from the charity stripe.
That’s the difference, plain and simple.
Syracuse is so close in the bevy of its Atlantic Coast Conference clashes, yet it can’t seem to seal the deal.
Alas, such is life. I admire the fight in our boys, but the roster is so thin and injury-depleted, and we’re coming up a tad short way too often.
The NCAA Tournament is still a possibility, although the ‘Cuse must conquest a couple of formidable foes to land on the juicy side of the bubble.
Those opportunities begin on Saturday afternoon, when the Orange heads to sunny Florida to face off with Miami (18-7, 7-6). The Hurricanes, a fringe top-25 group for much of the current campaign, recently fell at Boston College by two points, then earlier this week at their venue to No. 1 Virginia.
Miami, with a RPI of 28, is extremely strong at home, having witnessed defeat there only twice, to the Cavaliers as well as Duke. Presently in the ACC standings, the Hurricanes are tied for 6th, while SU, with a RPI of 49, is tied for 10th.
On the year, Syracuse actually has more RPI top-100 triumphs to date than Miami, but the Hurricanes also own two fewer losses at this juncture.
Within conference competition, Miami has bested the likes of Florida State, Louisville, N.C. State and Virginia Tech. The ‘Cuse, by comparison, is 2-2 versus those crews.
The Hurricanes are a deeper unit than the Orange, but Miami did unfortunately see one of its leading scorers, sophomore guard Bruce Brown Jr., get sidelined last month with a left-foot injury.
Still, the Hurricanes generate about 75 points per game, while allowing 66. SU, on the other hand, produces 69 and gives up 64.
Every statistical category, otherwise, is virtually the same for these two teams. Except that Miami shoots better from the field and 3-point range, while the ‘Cuse is more proficient at the free-throw line.
As of Friday afternoon, on the Bracket Matrix Web site, the Hurricanes are slotted a No. 7 seed in the field of 68 projections. Syracuse, unsurprisingly, is listed among the first four out.
All-time, the Orange holds a 17-8 edge against Miami, and securing an 18th victory in this series is absolutely crucial to keep SU in the conversation to go dancing in March.