When Syracuse basketball plays Florida State in the 2025 ACC Tournament on Tuesday night, odds-makers are anticipating a close contest between these two league foes.
At the time of this writing, FanDuel had the Seminoles as a 2.5-point betting favorite against the Orange in the ACC Tournament's first round at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. The over/under is currently at 151.5 points.
The 'Cuse is the event's No. 14 seed, while FSU is the No. 11 seed in the season's ACC tourney. According to ESPN Analytics, the Seminoles have a 54.9 percent chance to prevail against Syracuse basketball.
The winner of this match-up, by the way, will then move on to face No. 6 seed SMU in the ACC Tournament's second round, with that encounter scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, beginning at 9:30 pm.
Syracuse basketball is a slight betting underdog versus Florida State in Charlotte.
The Orange (13-18, 7-13 in the ACC), going through its worst campaign in decades, played the Seminoles once during the 2024-25 regular season. In early January of this year, at home, FSU beat Syracuse basketball by 16 points.
Based on Florida State's NCAA NET ranking of No. 89 overall, this is a quadrant-two affair for the Orange, which to date in 2024-25 only has one victory in this quadrant. By extension, the 'Cuse has yet to emerge victorious in a neutral-site encounter, going 0-3 at this juncture.
Statistically speaking, the Seminoles average 74.9 points per game and allow 72.7 points, along with 34.7 rebounds, 13.2 assists, 4.8 blocks and 7.6 steals. Syracuse basketball, conversely, averages 75.6 points per contest and gives up 78.4 points, along with 37.2 rebounds, 13.9 assists, 2.5 blocks and 4.8 steals.
FSU makes 45.5 percent from the field, 71.9 percent from the free-throw line and 31.9 percent from beyond the arc. On the flip side, the Orange hits 46.1 percent from the field, 71.1 percent from the charity stripe and 33.4 percent from 3-point land.
Both programs don't take especially good care of the ball. Coming into this ACC Tournament game, Florida State and Syracuse basketball each commit more than 12 turnovers per encounter, which is sub-par.
If the 'Cuse can minimize its miscues and grab some easy buckets out in transition following FSU mistakes, that will prove huge for Syracuse basketball's chances to prevail in this ACC tourney affair.