Syracuse Basketball: Predictions for ACC road trip vs Virginia Tech

Neil Adler (13-6)
Prediction: Virginia Tech wins 82-74

The Syracuse basketball squad, winners of three contests in a row, embarks on a three-affair road trip that begins this Saturday night when the Orange faces No. 10 Virginia Tech.

SU (14-5, 5-1) has captured seven successes in its last eight duels, the most-recent outcome a 20-point drubbing of Miami at the Carrier Dome on Thursday evening. The Hokies (15-3, 4-2), meanwhile, got smoked this past Monday by No. 11 North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C.

ESPN is televising the ‘Cuse’s clash with VT, and it’s a pivotal encounter for the Orange. SU is currently tied for first place with four other crews atop the Atlantic Coast Conference standings, and Syracuse has a prime opportunity to notch another triumph away from Central New York against a highly rated opponent.

The Hokies, one of the premier 3-point shooting groups across the country, are a perfect 10-0 on their own turf. They also take extremely good care of the ball, only committing about 11 turnovers per game. The ‘Cuse must continue to connect at a strong clip from downtown, while also dominating on the glass.

ESPN’s Basketball Power Index says that Virginia Tech has an 82.5 percent chance to prevail. While SU has tons of momentum at this juncture, unfortunately I don’t see our boys in Orange defeating the Hokies in Blacksburg, Va. Syracuse hangs tough, but VT gets the job done, 82-74.