Syracuse Basketball: Oakland Golden Grizzlies crystal ball predictions

Neil Adler, contributor (8-2)

The Syracuse basketball squad returns to the court this Wednesday evening when the Orange hosts Oakland inside the Carrier Dome. The ‘Cuse (5-5) shot well this past Saturday in Washington, D.C., versus former Big East Conference foe Georgetown, however, Syracuse couldn’t get anything going in its 2-3 zone, and those pesky Hoyas came away with a 10-point triumph.

That result means that the Orange won’t have a marquee conquest in its non-conference slate and that consequently will force the ‘Cuse to notch a handful of high-quality victories in the rugged Atlantic Coast Conference if it wants any sniff of a possible NCAA Tournament invite.

At this juncture, and I hate to acknowledge it, but Syracuse may prove on the bubble for a berth in the NIT. Heading into the 2019-20 campaign, the Orange roster featured one starter from the previous stanza, no seniors, and five freshmen.

Although its lineup is relatively inexperienced and young, the issue with the ‘Cuse is a total lack of consistency on either end of the floor. In some of its affairs, Syracuse performs admirably on defense, albeit often against softer competition.

On the flip side, the Orange tends to struggle to score, and that typically has transpired when the ‘Cuse has squared off with adversaries from major conferences. Yes, Syracuse put up 79 points versus Georgetown in our nation’s capital. But, the Orange gave up nearly 90 points, which is terrible, and the Hoyas are not a terrific defensive unit.

All in all, the ‘Cuse is at a pivotal time in 2019-20. If Syracuse doesn’t begin to improve on offense and defense, the present term is going to conclude as a disaster. The Orange will welcome the Golden Grizzlies (5-6) to the Hill commencing at 8:00 pm on Dec. 18, with ESPNU providing television coverage.

ESPN’s Basketball Power Index says that the ‘Cuse has a massive 90.4 percent chance to prevail. While I don’t currently have a ton of confidence in Syracuse, the Orange will take care of Oakland in definitive style, by a final count of 67-53.