Following a recent three-game home stand, in which the Orange went 2-1, Syracuse basketball hits the road on Tuesday night for a rematch with long-time rival Boston College.
The 'Cuse got back into the win column this past Saturday evening on the Hill, as sophomore guards J.J. Starling and Judah Mintz helped lead the team to a 77-65 victory over N.C. State, with Orange legend Dave Bing getting inducted into the SU Athletics Ring of Honor at halftime.
At this juncture, Syracuse basketball (14-6, 5-4 in the ACC) is tied for sixth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings. The Eagles (12-8, 3-6 in the ACC), meanwhile, most recently notched a three-point triumph at Notre Dame last Saturday.
When I wrote this article, Boston College had an NCAA NET ranking of No. 90, meaning this league clash is currently a quadrant-two opportunity for the 'Cuse. The Orange's NET ranking presently resides at No. 76, and it has one quad-one success, a recent road win over Pittsburgh.
How to watch Syracuse basketball at Boston College, and some key storylines.
The Eagles and the 'Cuse will do battle beginning at 7 pm on Tuesday, Jan. 30, from the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The ACC Network will air this conference contest, and coverage may also be available on fuboTV.
By and large, Syracuse basketball is on the outside of the proverbial bubble for this spring's NCAA Tournament. The Orange could certainly use a road victory on Tuesday night, even if it's only in quadrant two for now, while also potentially completing a regular-season sweep of Boston College.
At the time of this writing, KenPom had the 'Cuse at No. 77 overall, No. 151 in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 31 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Lately, the Orange has been performing well on the defensive end, primarily in man-to-man but with some zone sprinkled in by head coach Adrian Autry.
Boston College is currently at No. 87 nationally from KenPom, along with No 57 in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 153 in adjusted defensive efficiency.
The Eagles' resume in the 2023-24 season to date is as follows. They have defeated Fairfield, The Citadel, Richmond, Harvard, Vanderbilt, Central Connecticut, Holy Cross, St. John's, Lehigh, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame twice.
Conversely, Boston College has fallen to Colorado State, Loyola Chicago, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Clemson, North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
Back on January 10 of this year, at the JMA Wireless Dome, the Orange squandered a 19-point, first-half lead against the Eagles but managed to come away with a 69-59 victory. Sophomore forward Chris Bell led Syracuse basketball in scoring, with 20 points.
The Orange has owned Boston College in recent years, winning 11 straight in their all-time series and holding an overall edge of 58-26.
Statistically, Syracuse basketball grabs about 2.5 more rebounds per game than the Eagles, and the glass will prove pivotal in this encounter. The 'Cuse must crash the boards on both ends, while also containing Boston College's offensive rebounding and second-chance points opportunities.
While the Eagles aren't overly impressive on the defensive side, they can score, averaging about 76 points per game. Boston College is also a solid shooting team, connecting on 45.9 percent from the field, 75.1 percent from the free-throw line, and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc.
After the Orange plays at the Eagles, Syracuse basketball will have a second consecutive road tilt. On Saturday, Feb. 3, starting at 7:45 pm, the 'Cuse will square off with Wake Forest inside the LJVM Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C. The CW Network will televise the Orange against the Demon Deacons.