Neil Adler (3-3)
Prediction: Syracuse wins 81-66
The Boeheim family battle commences this Saturday night, when the Syracuse basketball squad hosts Central New York neighbor Cornell.
The Orange (4-2), coming off a massive upset at No. 16 Ohio State earlier this week, feature long-time head coach Jim Boeheim and one of his sons, freshman guard Buddy Boeheim. The Big Red (4-3), meanwhile, possesses a roster that includes another of Jim Boeheim’s sons, sophomore forward Jimmy Boeheim.
What a juicy affair this is, with television coverage provided by ESPNU. By the way, Cornell also emerged victorious in its most-recent duel, squeaking past Lafayette on the road in overtime. The Big Red, we should point out, is a solid 3-1 away from its own turf so far in the 2018-19 campaign, so don’t necessarily expect a cake-walk for the ‘Cuse. Then again, ESPN.com’s match-up predictor says that SU has a 94.5 percent chance of prevailing.
Not surprisingly, Syracuse holds an edge over Cornell in the bulk of statistical categories on both offense and defense, and the Orange is certainly the heavy favorite. Versus the Buckeyes, Buddy Boeheim didn’t get any run, but I’m hopeful he will see some action on the court while his older brother, Jimmy, is also in the game. That would prove truly special. In the end, SU has too much firepower for the Big Red, winning by a final count of 81-66.