If Syracuse basketball is going to make any sort of move toward potentially putting itself into the conversation for an invite to this spring's NCAA Tournament following a two-year absence from the Big Dance, now is the time.
The Orange (14-8, 5-6 in the ACC) had a rough past week, going 0-2 in a pair of Atlantic Coast Conference road games. First, the 'Cuse fell by five points at Boston College.
Then, this past Saturday night, Syracuse basketball had a dreadful performance and got slammed by the team's head coach, Adrian Autry, after the Orange fell by nearly 30 points at Wake Forest.
Now, the 'Cuse is set to host three straight league encounters, starting with Louisville and then followed by Clemson and highly rated North Carolina coming to the Hill.
How to watch Syracuse basketball hosting Louisville in a must-win for the Orange.
The 'Cuse will welcome Louisville to Central New York beginning at 7 pm on Wednesday, Feb. 7. This ACC affair from the JMA Wireless Dome is scheduled to air on the ACC Network. Coverage may also be available on fuboTV.
To date in the 2023-24 campaign, the Cardinals (7-15, 2-9 in the ACC) are one of the worst teams in the conference. Louisville had lost six games in a row but snapped that setback streak when the Cardinals knocked off Florida State at home this past Saturday, 101-92.
Just a gentle reminder that, not too long ago, the Seminoles walloped Syracuse basketball on the Hill, 85-69. So while Louisville isn't a good team at this point in 2023-24, the Orange had better not take the Cardinals lightly, especially given how the 'Cuse fared at Wake Forest over the weekend.
Louisville, with an NCAA NET ranking of No. 193 at the time of this writing, has so far this term defeated UMBC, Coppin State, New Mexico State, Bellarmine, Pepperdine, Miami and FSU.
On the flip side, the Cardinals have fallen to Chattanooga, Texas, Indiana, Virginia Tech, DePaul, Arkansas State, Kentucky, Virginia, Pittsburgh, N.C. State, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Duke, Virginia and Clemson.
Syracuse basketball, with a current NET rating of No. 84, can ill-afford losing to Louisville at home. I am not a fan of making grand proclamations, however, if the Orange were to suffer a defeat to the Cardinals at the Dome, the 'Cuse would have virtually no shot of making the 2024 NCAA Tournament, unless Syracuse basketball went on a run and captured the ACC Tournament crown.
Both the Orange and the Cardinals are relatively sub-par shooting groups from the field and beyond the arc. What's more, they both commit more than 12 turnovers a game.
This could prove a high-scoring contest, as Louisville gives up a whopping 78.0 points per game, while Syracuse basketball allows 73.6 points per meeting.
The Orange is just 12-19 in its all-time series with the Cardinals, although the 'Cuse has won two straight over Louisville.
After Syracuse basketball entertains Louisville on the Hill, the Orange will host former Orange guard Joe Girard III and Clemson on Saturday, Feb. 10, beginning at 12 pm and with television coverage on ESPN2.