Syracuse basketball broke out of its recent funk earlier this week with a home win over Georgia Tech, and now the Orange will travel to long-time rival Boston College on Saturday afternoon in an Atlantic Coast Conference contest.
The 'Cuse had lost two straight and six of its last eight games, but on Tuesday evening at the JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse basketball played well on defense and junior guard J.J. Starling tallied 21 points as the Orange beat the Yellow Jackets, 62-55.
That outcome transpired despite freshman power forward Donnie Freeman not being available due to a lower leg injury that head coach Adrian Autry has characterized as day-to-day.
We'll have to wait and see whether Freeman, the Orange's leading rebounder to date in the 2024-25 season, suits up versus the Eagles on Saturday. Even if he doesn't, the 'Cuse needs him back soon if Syracuse basketball wants to get some sizable momentum going.
.@DAMNTWIN from @LoudHouseFS joined @BoyGreen25 on @TheScore1260:
— The Manchild Show with Boy Green (@Manchild_Show) January 8, 2025
- Recap Syracuse's first ACC win of the season vs. Georgia Tech
- The return of JJ Starling & his impact on the team
- Latest on Donnie Freeman's injury#Orange https://t.co/hrjBb1cZbK
The Orange (7-8, 1-3 in the ACC) is currently nowhere near the conversation for a possible post-season invite to either the NCAA Tournament or the NIT, but the main key for the 'Cuse is to take things one encounter at a time and continue to improve on both ends of the floor.
How to watch Syracuse basketball at Boston College on Saturday.
The Orange and the Eagles (9-6, 1-3 in the ACC) will go toe to toe on Saturday, Jan. 11, beginning at 3:00 pm at the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass., with television coverage on The CW Network.
Per SU Athletics, in their all-time series together, Syracuse basketball is 58-27 against Boston College. In the 2023-24 campaign, the programs split their two-game set, with each squad prevailing on its turf.
When I wrote this article, the Orange had an NCAA NET ranking of No. 159 overall, while the Eagles checked in at No. 215, making this a quadrant-three game for the 'Cuse.
Here is Boston College's 2024-25 resume so far. The Eagles have defeated The Citadel, Temple, Loyola Maryland, Old Dominion, Missouri State, Boise State, Stonehill, Fairleigh Dickinson and Miami.
On the flip side, Boston College has suffered setbacks to VCU, Dartmouth, South Carolina, Wake Forest, SMU and Georgia Tech.
This term, Syracuse basketball averages 75.7 points per game on offense, 78.1 points allowed, 39.1 rebounds, 14.1 assists, 2.8 blocks, 4.9 steals and 13.0 turnovers. The Eagles are averaging 71.3 points per contest on offense, 72.3 points given up, 37.3 rebounds, 11.4 assists, 3.9 blocks, 5.0 steals and 12.3 turnovers.
Shooting-wise, the Orange is slightly better from the field as a whole, while Boston College has higher percentages from the free-throw line and beyond the arc.
While Saturday's affair is on the road, and succeeding on the road in the ACC is never easy, this is a winnable game for Syracuse basketball, and the 'Cuse has a solid chance to notch its second straight league triumph.