Syracuse basketball returns to the Hill this Wednesday night to host Central New York neighbor Cornell at the JMA Wireless Dome.
The Orange (3-2 overall) went 0-2 late last week at the 2024 Legends Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y., falling by a combined nine points to Southeastern Conference member Texas and then Big 12 Conference school Texas Tech.
The 'Cuse hung tough with two opponents that are both likely to play in the NCAA Tournament come next spring, and Syracuse basketball displayed some encouraging signs, even though much work is to be done moving forward in the 2024-25 campaign.
Up next, the Orange will welcome long-time foe Cornell to the Dome, as the 'Cuse aims to get back into the win column.
How to watch Syracuse basketball take on Cornell at the Dome.
The Orange and the Big Red, which is an Ivy League member, will go toe to toe this Wednesday, Nov. 27, starting at 7:00 pm and with live-streaming coverage on the ACC Network Extra and ESPN+.
To date in the current campaign, Cornell is 3-2 overall. The Big Red has victories over Marywood, Samford and Lafayette, while Cornell has fallen to La Salle and Robert Morris. In the Ivy League's preseason media poll, the Big Red was forecast to finish at No. 4 in the league standings during 2024-25.
Per SU Athletics, in their all-time series together, Syracuse basketball is 97-31 against Cornell, with the Orange having won 43 straight, including an 81-70 home decision in early December of 2023.
According to ESPN stats, Syracuse basketball is averaging 80.8 points per game while allowing 79.6 points per contest. The 'Cuse is connecting on 45.2 percent from the field, 66.7 percent from the free-throw line and 25.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Cornell, conversely, is scoring 83.0 points per affair while giving up 77.6 points per encounter. The Big Red makes 47.4 percent from the field, 70.9 percent from the charity stripe and 30.6 percent from 3-point land.
In other statistical categories, the Orange has edges in rebounds and turnovers committed per game, while Cornell has advantages in assists and steals per meeting.
It's vital that Syracuse basketball handles its business versus the Big Red, because after that non-conference game, the 'Cuse will have consecutive road trips to top-10 Tennessee and then Notre Dame to open Atlantic Coast Conference play.