Syracuse basketball is starting off its 2022-23 campaign with non-conference contests against two members of the Patriot League. In the season opener, last Monday evening on the Hill, the Orange looked pretty solid in an 18-point triumph over Lehigh.
Now the ‘Cuse is set to host fellow Patriot League squad Colgate this Tuesday night, which has proven a strong team in this conference in recent years while also making appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Oh, and did I fail to mention that, in 2021-22, the Raiders stunned Syracuse basketball on the road, while at the same time snapping a 54-game losing streak versus the Orange? In that meeting, the ‘Cuse raced out to a 15-point lead early on, but Colgate hit a ridiculous 18 3-pointers and would prevail, 100-85.
Naturally, Syracuse basketball will want to exact revenge against the Raiders. Hopefully, the ‘Cuse defense – whether zone or man-to-man – will lock down on Colgate’s perimeter shooters. Otherwise, this could prove a really challenging game early on in the 2022-23 term for the Orange.
While Syracuse basketball (1-0) has only suited up in one encounter in the present stanza, the Raiders (2-1) have played a couple of games to date. Colgate, in its season debut, fell at Buffalo by one point.
Since then, the Raiders have defeated Brown on the road by nine points and Wells College at home by 33 points.
By the way, in the Patriot League’s preseason poll ahead of 2022-23, Colgate was projected to finish at No. 1 in the conference standings. What’s more, Raiders senior guard Tucker Richardson was named both the league’s preseason player and defensive player of the year.
Syracuse basketball vs. Colgate odds
When I wrote this column, per an article on fanduel.com, the FanDuel Sportsbook had installed the Orange as a 10.5-point betting favorite over Colgate. Also at the time of this writing, the over/under was set at 150.5 points.
Syracuse basketball vs. Colgate prediction
Despite its shocking setback a year ago, the Orange still holds a commanding all-time series edge versus the Raiders, at 127-46. Colgate is a really, really good team, and it has been for multiple seasons now.
Do I think that the Raiders could pull off another upset of the ‘Cuse this coming Tuesday? Absolutely. And especially if Colgate is hot from deep. That being said, I do like Syracuse basketball to come out on top.
In its win over Lehigh, senior shooting guard Joe Girard III and senior center Jesse Edwards led the charge. Freshman point guard Judah Mintz was spectacular, senior guard Symir Torrence was great, and other underclassmen had nice outings as well, including freshman forward Maliq Brown and freshman guard/wing Quadir Copeland.
For me, it’s critical for sophomore forward Benny Williams to bounce back from a poor performance versus Lehigh and do a lot of positive things versus the Raiders. The senior veterans should once again be excellent, and I’m confident Mintz and other underclassmen will shine.
The Orange defense has to lock in on Colgate’s 3-point shooters. And, if the Raiders’ deep shots aren’t falling, the ‘Cuse has to make sure it does a credible job of hitting the glass and preventing Colgate from getting frequent opportunities at second-chance points.
I don’t think Syracuse basketball is going to blow out the Raiders, but I do think that the Orange will claim a victory after falling to Colgate on the Hill in 2021-22.
Injuries, how to watch, live stream, next game
On the injury front, I’m not aware of any significant injuries to share as the ‘Cuse seeks to get to 2-0 to commence the 2022-23 campaign. Obviously, we’ll always stay on top of this particular topic throughout the upcoming season.
Syracuse basketball and Colgate are scheduled to tip off starting at 7 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 15, on the Hill. ACC regional sports networks will provide television coverage.
For Syracuse basketball and Raiders fans who want to stream this game, you can check it out on fuboTV.
After the ‘Cuse battles Colgate in a non-conference affair, Syracuse basketball will square off in another out-of-conference clash, as the Orange will welcome Colonial Athletic Association member Northeastern to town.
That game will commence at 2 pm on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Dome. The ACC Network Extra will provide live streaming coverage of the ‘Cuse versus Northeastern.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.