Syracuse Basketball: What ‘Cuse needs to do to defeat the Fighting Irish

Syracuse basketball (11-6 overall, 4-2 in the ACC) is back at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday, as the Orange gets set to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-8 overall, 1-5) at 7:00 pm eastern time on the ACC Network.

The Orange is coming off an 82-72 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies, and Syracuse basketball will look to feed off the hometown crowd when it hosts the Fighting Irish in an Atlantic Coast Conference battle.

In early December, the Orange went on the road and defeated Notre Dame, 62-61.

Here are my player to watch and keys to the game as Syracuse basketball hosts Notre Dame.

Player To Watch

Senior center Jesse Edwards had an impressive game against the Hokies. He will look to carry that performance over to this next match-up against the Fighting Irish, and Edwards is our key player to watch.

Edwards, who had 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists against Virginia Tech, will look to be the big man whom the Orange can rely on down low. Edwards will need to attack the glass on both ends of the court, play tough defense in the middle of the 2-3 zone, attack the basket for the easy points, and make plays for his teammates down the late stretch of the game if he wants to help lead Syracuse to a victory.

Keys To The Game

1. Pass The Rock– Syracuse basketball had a total of 15 assists against the Hokies, which was four less them the opponent had. The Orange will need to find ways to connect on passes, make plays for one another, and work on moving the ball around the key to find the plays to get the ball in the basket.
2. Limit Turnovers– Syracuse had a total of 12 turnovers against Virginia Tech, as the Orange needs to work on limiting its mistakes. Syracuse needs to hold onto the ball, not allow the Irish steals or force mistakes, and the Orange needs to make sure passes and shots don’t end up going the other way.
3. Gain The Early Advantage– The Orange has to jump out to an early start, gaining the early lead and using its style of play to make sure the team can take advantage of its defense. Syracuse basketball needs to make sure to start on an early run, gain the advantage early, and hold the lead throughout the game.

Prediction

Syracuse basketball has been having an up-and-down season so far, but most of the games have been in the Orange’s favor. This game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is a must-win for the Orange, according to some fans and experts, as we inch closer and closer to the ACC Tournament and March Madness. Syracuse basketball will be in front of its hometown fans, and the Orange will give them a 75-69 win against the Irish.