Syracuse Basketball: Predictions for opener vs. Eastern Washington

Josh Peelman

Prediction: Syracuse wins 74-51

Syracuse comes in with a loaded and experienced roster which is sure to make some noise this season. Already ranked in the preseason, it should come as no surprise that the Orange are favored by ESPN.com matchup predictor to have 92.7% chance of winning this game at home to start the season.

Eastern Washington is a team I have never even heard of, so correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the Eagles will get blown out in this one. The Orange are simply too good and talented. I think the Orange may start slow like they did against LeMoyne offensively, but once they get it going they will pull ahead for good and go on to a 20+ point win at home.

I’ll be excited to see if Elijah Hughes continues to shine like he did in the exhibition games, and whether Buddy Boeheim continues to be the go-to bench man on this team who can do a little bit of everything. All things considered, I see Oshae Brissett once again being the high scorer in this one with Elijah Hughes and Tyus Battle not far behind. It should be a great one to start to year to give the Orange a 1-0 record going into the Morehead State game later this week.