Syracuse basketball concludes its 2024-25 regular season on Saturday night at home.
The Orange, which has lost two straight, both on the road after blowing second-half, double-digit leads at Virginia Tech and then at SMU, will host Virginia to wrap up the regular season. The 'Cuse will then head to Charlotte, N.C., for the ACC Tournament.
It's proven a frustrating 2024-25 for the Orange and its fan base. This term will end up being the worst on record for Syracuse basketball in several decades (the late 1960s, in fact). Head coach Adrian Autry and his team have yet to win a quadrant-one game this stanza, and the squad's defense has continually been poor.
.@DAMNTWIN of @LoudHouseFS joined @BoyGreen25 on @TheScore1260:
— The Manchild Show with Boy Green (@Manchild_Show) March 5, 2025
- What's wrong with this Syracuse Basketball program?
- Looking ahead to next year: who stays - who goes?#Orange https://t.co/CZ7uZPID80
The 'Cuse, on many occasions, has also struggled with taking precise care of the ball, committing far too many turnovers that have given its opponents a critical edge in points off turnovers.
How to watch Syracuse basketball welcome Virginia to the Hill.
The Orange (12-18, 6-13 in the ACC) and the Cavaliers (15-15, 8-11 in the ACC) will go toe to toe at the JMA Wireless Dome beginning at 8:00 pm on Saturday, March 8. The ACC Network will air this match-up, with live-streaming coverage also available on FuboTV.
Per SU Athletics, the 'Cuse is just 6-14 in its all-time series with UVA, and the Cavaliers have beaten Syracuse basketball on six straight occasions. However, Tony Bennett is no longer at Virginia's helm.
Bennett, who guided UVA to a national championship in 2019, announced his retirement last October after 15 seasons with Virginia.
When I wrote this article, the Orange had an NCAA NET ranking of No. 139 overall, as compared to No. 103 for the Cavaliers, making this a quadrant-three affair for Syracuse basketball.
Virginia, so far in 2024-25, has wins over Campbell, Coppin State, Villanova, Manhattan, Holy Cross, Bethune-Cookman, American University, N.C. State, Boston College, Miami, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Florida State.
On the flip side, UVA has fallen to Tennessee, St. John's, Florida, SMU, Memphis, Louisville, California, Stanford, SMU, Louisville, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Duke, North Carolina and Clemson.
Statistically speaking, the Orange has a sizable edge in points scored per game. The same can be said for Virginia as it pertains to points allowed per contest. Syracuse basketball corrals about seven more rebounds per encounter, while the Cavaliers commit roughly 2.5 fewer turnovers per game.
Virginia makes 44.7 percent from the field, 75.2 percent from the free-throw line and 38.0 percent from beyond the arc, which is No. 4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. For Syracuse basketball, its foes connect on 34.7 percent from deep, and that places the Orange at No. 13 in the ACC.
The 'Cuse hits 45.7 percent from the field, 70.7 percent from the charity stripe and 33.2 percent from 3-point land.