Syracuse Basketball: Iowa Hawkeyes crystal ball predictions

Mat Mlodzinski, contributor (4-3)

Syracuse – 68, Iowa – 64

Syracuse is on a horrendous two-game losing streak, coming at the hands of Oklahoma State and Penn State. The Orange now find themselves at 4-3, in dire need of a non-conference victory to offset the beyond slow start to the season. They’ll get a perfect opportunity against a 5-2 Hawkeye team looking to steal this one on the road.

Right off the bat, Iowa is in a much better position than the Orange. They’re two losses have come to an undefeated DePaul team and an undefeated San Diego State team. Fran McCaffrey’s team also has a major resume-boosting win over Texas Tech.

For Syracuse, it comes down to coaching.  Jim Boeheim knows that this is a must-win game. For that reason, because of the coach that he is, I believe that Syracuse will come out on top.

Iowa can certainly score.

Luke Garza will be a tough guy to guard down low, and can also hit threes, along with CJ Fredrick, Joe Wieskamp, and Jordan Bohannon, three guys who can also really hit from downtown.  However, as a counter, the Orange have an experience big in Bourama Sidibe, and lights out shooters in Elijah Hughes, Buddy Boeheim, and Joe Girard III.

This game will be won defensively. Iowa has not seen a zone like this all year long, and I would be surprised if Boeheim didn’t throw some kinks based on the Hawkeyes to throw them off.

Other than Garza, it isn’t a team that makes a living in the post, so an extended zone could pay off dividends and force turnovers to create easier offensive opportunities for Syracuse.

Orange win it in a close one and keep some hope alive for the season.