Syracuse Basketball: Experts dole out their sleeper picks in upcoming ACC Tournament

Syracuse basketball has its first game in the 2024 ACC Tournament this Wednesday night in Washington, D.C., and its opponent is to be determined.

The Orange (20-11, 11-9 in the ACC), as the event’s No. 7 seed, will face either the No. 10 seed N.C. State or the No. 15 seed Louisville in the second round.

The ‘Cuse likely needs to win the ACC Tournament to gain an invite to this spring’s NCAA Tournament. As I noted in another recent column, perhaps Syracuse basketball could sneak into the Big Dance by advancing to the ACC Tournament’s championship game.

In any event, the No. 2 seed Duke is a slight favorite over top-seeded North Carolina to cut down the nets at the ACC tourney’s conclusion. Some experts have also given their thoughts on potential sleeper picks.

Could Syracuse basketball shock the ACC and win the league’s post-season tournament?

Seven CBS Sports panelists, in a recent article, selected which team they thought would prevail in the ACC Tournament, as well as a sleeper pick to perhaps win the event in stunning fashion.

Unsurprisingly, the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels got all the votes to win the ACC Tournament. Duke captured five votes, while UNC got the remaining two.

With the sleeper pick, four CBS Sports panelists went with the No. 6 seed Clemson, two chose the No. 5 seed Wake Forest and one picked the No. 10 seed Wolfpack.

I could envision Clemson making a deep run. The Tigers, arguably, are the ACC’s third-best team behind North Carolina and Duke. Clemson won some big games in the non-conference.

The Tigers also have multiple excellent big men along with strong guard play, including former Syracuse basketball player Joe Girard III.

I’m a homer, I admit it. But I don’t get the N.C. State selection as a sleeper at all. I say this because the Wolfpack, if it defeats Louisville in the first round, would have to battle the ‘Cuse.

Let’s not forget that during the 2023-24 regular season, Syracuse basketball swept N.C. State (and the Cardinals).

I like Clemson and even Wake Forest as sleepers. The Demon Deacons struggled a bit down the stretch, although Wake Forest beat the Tigers at home this past Saturday night in the regular-season finale.

What’s more, the Demon Deacons crushed Syracuse basketball in Winston-Salem, N.C., while Clemson swept its two-game set with the Orange.

I also like Pittsburgh, the No. 4 seed, as a potential sleeper. The Panthers, after conquering N.C. State at home last weekend, secured a top-four seed in the ACC Tournament.

They’re having a solid season, although Pitt was swept in the regular season by Syracuse basketball.

Speaking of the Orange, it does have a brutally challenging path to making the ACC Tournament final game or even winning the whole thing.

But as national experts love to talk about, guard play is paramount in the post-season, and the ‘Cuse does have a stellar backcourt, led by All-ACC second-team performer Judah Mintz and his fellow sophomore, J.J. Starling.

If those two guards play at a high level, sophomore forward Chris Bell gets hot from deep, sophomore big man Maliq Brown (on the All-ACC defensive squad) continues onward as Mr. Reliable, the Orange doesn’t get smoked on the glass, and the SU defense takes it up a notch, who knows?

Maybe Syracuse basketball can do some serious damage in the ACC Tournament this week. I hope that is what transpires.