Syracuse Basketball: SU’s tilt at Clemson is for all the marbles

The Syracuse basketball team makes a pivotal trip to Clemson on Saturday afternoon, and a win over the Tigers should seal a Big Dance invite for SU.

The 2018-19 regular season concludes this Saturday afternoon for the Syracuse basketball squad when the Orange travels to Clemson in a monster Atlantic Coast Conference match-up. This encounter has enormous ramifications for both the ‘Cuse (19-11, 10-7) and the Tigers (18-12, 8-9).

Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, Syracuse will receive either the No. 6 seed or the No. 7 seed in the league tournament that begins next week. However, if SU knocks off Clemson, our beloved boys in Orange will get the No. 6 seed. More importantly, such a result will provide the ‘Cuse with a 20th overall triumph, which I confidently believe will punch SU’s ticket to the field of 68.

For the Tigers, a crew squarely on the post-season bubble, a conquering of Syracuse will give Clemson an identical record to the Orange prior to the ACC tourney commencing, plus a head-to-head success for the two schools, as the ‘Cuse achieved a 61-53 margin on the Hill in January. The stakes couldn’t really prove any higher for each unit.

At this juncture, the Tigers hold an NCAA NET ranking of No. 40, with a 12-4 record at Littlejohn Coliseum. SU is No. 42 in the NCAA NET system, and it sports an impressive 6-3 mark in true road games. From a bracketology standpoint, the bevy of pundits views Syracuse as a No. 8 or No. 9 seed in March Madness. Clemson, on the flip side, is deemed as a No. 11 or No. 12 seed, which basically means that the Tigers are one of the last groups in or one of the first out.

Clemson arrives at this affair with some momentum in its back pocket, having emerged victorious at Notre Dame by two points on Wednesday. The Tigers also fared well against highly rated North Carolina, falling at home by just a pair of points on March 2. The Orange, as we all know, has competed admirably of late in duels versus numerous top-five foes, although the ‘Cuse did get blasted by No. 2 Virginia at the Carrier Dome on Monday.

According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, Clemson possesses a 68.8 percent chance to prevail, and it’s also Senior Day for the Tigers, who will honor a handful of their players, including stud guard Marcquise Reed. Reed is a nightmare to defend, as he puts up more than 19 points every 40 minutes, which is No. 4 in the ACC, one spot ahead of SU junior wing Tyus Battle.

In perusing the primary statistical categories, I have to say that the numbers are almost dead-even among these two units, as it pertains to points scored and allowed, rebounding, assists, blocks, and steals. Clemson shoots a tad better from the field, the charity stripe, and from beyond the arc. Syracuse commits slightly fewer turnovers.

I expect this contest to come down to the wire. There’s certainly more pressure on the Tigers, as they are suiting up on their turf, and they’re hovering closer to the bubble than the Orange. Then again, for the ‘Cuse, a loss here makes its ACC Tournament opener basically a must-win situation, so a ton is on the line for this duo of programs on Saturday.