Syracuse Basketball: Colgate Raiders crystal ball predictions
Ryan Lee, contributor (1-0)
Syracuse basketball looks for their first win of the season against in-state rival Colgate. This will be the Orange’s second contest after losing to the Virginia Cavaliers in the season opener at the Carrier Dome. The Raiders out of the Patriot League will be playing their third contest and second consecutive on the road against an ACC foe.
Colgate is 1-1 on the season with a win over New Jersey Institute of Technology at home and a road loss at Clemson on Sunday afternoon. Colgate will not come to the Carrier Dome intimidated. The defending Patriot League regular season and tournament champions are battle-tested and experienced.
The Raiders return five of their leading scorers from a year ago including conference player of the year Rapolas Ivanauskas and NCAA Tournament darling Jordan Burns. A year ago Ivanauskas averaged 15.9 points per game while grabbing just shy of eight rebounds and hit threes at a 43.4 percent clip. Burns led the team in scoring and broke out in a big way in big dance scoring 32 points in an upset bid against No. 2 seed Tennessee, all with Ivanauskas limited due to eye issues.
Colgate will be familiar with Syracuse as well as every returning player has come to the Carrier Dome each season since becoming a Raider. Last season’s matchup saw the Orange take a 21 point win 77-56. However, it was not easy as Colgate 43-41 with 15:56 remaining in the second half after a Burns three-point field goal before Syracuse went on a 35-5 run in the next 13:01 of game time.
Tyus Battle led the Orange with 24 points and scored at will shooting 8-for-10 from the field and getting to the free-throw line nine times. Bourama Sidibe arguably had his best game of the year netting his only double-figure scoring and double-double of the year with 11 points and 10 rebounds to go with a block shot and three steals.
The Orange to beat this Raiders team, who was tied in Clemson with less than seven minutes to go on Sunday, will need to utilize their size and athleticism. Colgate a year ago did not register a single player who averaged a single block shot a game. Senior forward Will Rayman had one a year ago against the Orange, the only one for Colgate. Syracuse was able to force the Raiders into 20 personal fouls and 30 trips to the free-throw line.
Syracuse will have size and athleticism and will need to create easier shots and be able to beat their defenders in one-on-one situations to capitalize on shots at the rim and kick out to their shooters. Virginia was able to prevent Syracuse from driving to the basket with any sustained success; preventing the offense to flow.
Wednesday will be a different story with Colgate and might be the difference if the Raiders are able to get going from deep. The Raiders will be prepared for Syracuse and this has a chance to be a great win in more ways than one. Colgate will keep it close and might pull off the shocker. For now, give me Syracuse in an up-and-down affair.
Syracuse 77 Colgate 65