Syracuse basketball, which didn’t play this past weekend, returns to the court on Wednesday evening, when the Orange hosts long-time rival Boston College on the Hill.
The ‘Cuse started off the new year with a 20-point loss at then-No. 14 Duke on January 2. Syracuse basketball hung tough with the Blue Devils in the first half, but after the intermission, Duke was scorching hot from long range, and the Orange committed a ton of turnovers, resulting in an 86-66 setback from Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C.
Now the ‘Cuse will regroup and host the Eagles on Wednesday night at the JMA Wireless Dome. Boston College (10-4, 1-2 in the ACC) has won five of its last six contests during the 2023-24 season, while the Orange (10-4, 1-2 in the ACC) saw its five-game victory streak snapped by Duke.
To date in 2023-24, Syracuse basketball doesn’t have any bad losses on its resume, but the Orange needs to pick up some marquee successes to enter the conversation for an invite to this spring’s NCAA Tournament.
I don’t want to label the team’s home date with the Eagles as a must-win game, but the ‘Cuse could do itself a favor by conquering Boston College at the Dome.
How to watch Syracuse basketball hosting Boston College.
The Orange and the Eagles will go toe to toe beginning at 9 pm on Wednesday, Jan. 10. This Atlantic Coast Conference clash will air on the ACC Network, and coverage may also be available on fuboTV.
Syracuse basketball is 57-26 against Boston College in their all-time series together, and the ‘Cuse has won 10 in a row versus the Eagles, according to SU Athletics.
At this juncture in 2023-24, the Orange is 7-0 at home. When I wrote this column, the ‘Cuse had an NCAA NET ranking of No. 75, while Boston College checked in at No. 74.
Over at KenPom, Syracuse basketball is No. 80 nationally, as compared to No. 82 for the Eagles.
Boston College’s resume is as follows. The Eagles have defeated Fairfield, Citadel, Richmond, Harvard, Vanderbilt, Central Connecticut, Holy Cross, St. John’s, Lehigh and most recently, Georgia Tech on the road over the weekend.
Conversely, Boston College has fallen to Colorado State, Loyola Chicago, N.C. State in overtime, and Wake Forest.
The Eagles take good care of the ball, only committing 9.5 turnovers per encounter. Syracuse basketball, meanwhile, commits 12.7 miscues per game.
Boston College scores 80.4 points and allow 72.9 points per affair. The Orange, on the flip side, averages 77.5 points and gives up 71.5 points per game.
The ‘Cuse holds a slight edge in total rebounds per contest, and Syracuse basketball will need to do a great job on the glass to knock off the Eagles in Central New York.
Shooting-wise, the Eagles connect on 47.2 percent from the field, 75.4 percent from the free-throw line and 36.8 percent from beyond the arc.
The Orange makes 45.5 percent from the field, 73.9 percent from the charity stripe and 32.3 percent from 3-point land.
After Syracuse basketball hosts Boston College, the ‘Cuse will head to Chapel Hill, N.C., for a challenging road affair with No. 7 North Carolina.
The Orange and the Tar Heels are scheduled to play starting at noon on Saturday, Jan. 13, with television coverage on ESPN.