How to watch and the latest odds as Syracuse basketball battles Texas Tech in NYC

Syracuse basketball suffered its first loss of the young 2024-25 season on Thursday night in New York City, and now the Orange will battle a second team from the state of Texas on Friday evening in the third-place game of the 2024 Legends Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The 'Cuse (3-1), on Thursday, fell behind Southeastern Conference member Texas early, with the Longhorns eventually building up a 16-point advantage not long after the intermission.

However, for much of the second half, Syracuse basketball played much better on both ends of the court, particularly on the defensive side, which has proven a struggle for the Orange throughout 2024-25 to date.

The 'Cuse even briefly took the lead over Texas in the final 20 minutes, but poor free-throw shooting doomed Syracuse basketball in a 70-66 setback. There are no consolation prizes in sports, per se, but the Orange's fight against a quality program was encouraging, especially after the 'Cuse barely won its first three games against foes not in power conferences.

How to watch Syracuse basketball clash with Texas Tech in the Big Apple.

In the later contest on Thursday, Saint Joseph's defeated Texas Tech, 78-77, to hand the Red Raiders their first defeat of 2024-25. On Friday, the Orange and Texas Tech will go toe to toe beginning at 7:00 pm, with television coverage on ESPNU.

When I wrote this article on Friday morning, FanDuel had the 'Cuse as an 11.5-point betting underdog versus the Red Raiders, with the over/under set at 154.5 points.

In the Big 12 Conference's preseason poll, Texas Tech (4-1) was projected to finish at No. 7 in the conference standings this season. In the latest major top-25 polls, the Red Raiders were the first squad receiving votes in the Associated Press ballot, while they checked in at No. 24 in the Coaches poll.

In their short all-time series together, the Orange and Texas Tech are tied at 1-1. The Red Raiders' quartet of triumphs are over Bethune-Cookman, Northwestern State, Wyoming and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

In its setback to Saint Joseph's, Texas Tech only connected on 20.0 percent from deep, but for all of 2024-25, this is a dangerous shooting group. The Red Raiders are hitting on 54.7 percent from the field, 76.8 percent from the free-throw line and 41.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Syracuse basketball, conversely, makes 46.0 percent from the field, 61.1 percent from the charity stripe and 25.0 percent from 3-point land. Given the Orange's woes from long range, it would behoove the team to focus on scoring in the paint against Texas Tech.

Guys such as junior guard J.J. Starling and junior small forward Chris Bell need to be aggressive in driving to the rim, while front-court players like graduate student center Eddie Lampkin Jr., senior forward Jyare Davis and power forward Donnie Freeman must impose their will in the interior and in the mid-range.

The Red Raiders commit 12.2 turnovers per game, so hopefully, Orange defenders can grab some deflections and steals that they can convert to easy buckets out in the transition. But 'Cuse players also will have to take precise care of the ball, as Texas Tech averages an impressive 9.6 steals per contest.

Syracuse basketball's defense in this non-conference meeting will also get tested. Currently, the Orange allows nearly 80 points per affair, while the Red Raiders score roughly 90 points per game.