Syracuse Basketball: How to watch, latest betting odds as the Orange hosts Albany

Syracuse basketball returns to the Hill on Tuesday night, as the Orange will try to halt its recent slump against another Empire State team.

The 'Cuse, after falling by five points at Notre Dame this past Saturday, has lost four of five games and two straight encounters. While the 2024-25 season is still relatively young, the Orange needs to regroup and turn things around if it wants to prove a realistic contender for the NCAA Tournament come next spring.

The two main things that Syracuse basketball must clean up center on its woeful 3-point shooting and its defense that, by and large so far this term, has been poor. Plus, the squad's leading scorer, junior guard J.J. Starling, is out indefinitely with a left-hand injury.

How to watch Syracuse basketball face Albany at home.

The Orange (4-4) will welcome America East Conference school Albany (6-4) to the JMA Wireless Dome on Tuesday, Dec. 10, with the tip-off scheduled for 7 pm and television coverage on ESPN2.

When I wrote this article on Tuesday in the late afternoon, FanDuel had Syracuse basketball as a 12.5-point betting favorite, with the over/under set at 156.5 points.

To date in 2024-25, Albany has defeated SUNY-Oneonta, Dartmouth, Siena, Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, Kansas City and Columbia, while the Great Danes have fallen to Army, American University, Georgetown and Boston University.

The all-time series between Syracuse basketball and Albany dates back to the 1918-19 stanza, although the two programs have only battled on the court eight previous times, with the Orange sporting an 8-0 mark against the Great Danes.

In the league's preseason poll, Albany was forecast to finish at No. 7 in the America East Conference standings during 2024-25.

Let's look at some statistical categories. The 'Cuse is averaging 77.5 points per game while allowing 79.4 points. Albany, conversely, is scoring 77.2 points per contest and giving up 71.8 points.

The Orange averages 39.4 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 2.8 blocks, 4.3 steals and 10.3 turnovers per meeting while connecting on 45.2 percent from the field, 67.6 percent from the free-throw line and 26.0 percent from beyond the arc.

The Great Danes average 30.8 rebounds, 12.1 assists, 1.4 blocks, 10.2 steals and 10.3 turnovers per contest while making 45.2 percent from the field, 72.9 percent from the charity stripe and 36.4 percent from 3-point land.

I don't like to over-react when the 'Cuse has only played eight contests to date in 2024-25, but Syracuse basketball absolutely has to take care of business against Albany on Tuesday evening.