Odds-makers aren't giving Syracuse basketball much of a shot to knock off fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school Stanford on Wednesday night.
Earlier in the day, on Wednesday afternoon, FanDuel had the Orange as a large 11.5-point underdog at the Cardinal (14-6, 6-3 in the ACC), with the over/under set at 148.5 points.
While I wouldn't have expected the 'Cuse (9-11, 3-6 in the ACC) to be a betting favorite on the road versus a solid opponent, that the Orange is an 11.5-point underdog speaks to just how much of a struggle the 2024-25 season has proven for Syracuse basketball to date.
.@DAMNTWIN from @LoudHouseFS joined @BoyGreen25 on @TheScore1260:
— The Manchild Show with Boy Green (@Manchild_Show) January 29, 2025
- Preview Syracuse vs Stanford game
- Random Duran Duran nostalgic trip
- The importance of this West Coast road trip#Orange #GoStanfordhttps://t.co/Ek2LYkZtNy
By extension, ESPN Analytics gives Stanford a 68.7 percent chance to prevail at home on Wednesday evening.
Syracuse basketball eyes its first quad-one win this term.
If the Orange can knock off the Cardinal, which is No. 69 in the NCAA NET rankings, the 'Cuse will secure its first quadrant-one victory in 2024-25. So far in the current campaign, Syracuse basketball is 0-7 in quadrant one.
It won't prove easy. The Orange, at this juncture in 2024-25, is just 1-4 in true road games, while Stanford is a strong 9-1 on its turf.
On the road this season, Syracuse basketball has defeated Boston College, while the 'Cuse has lost at Tennessee (in the SEC/ACC Challenge), Notre Dame, Florida State and Clemson.
Undeniably, the Cardinal has proven a pleasant surprise in the ACC, as Stanford was predicted to finish at No. 17 in the league standings but is well above that projection, at least for the time being.
Starting on Wednesday night, the Orange is on a two-game road trip to the west coast, as the 'Cuse will battle Stanford tonight and then another new conference member, California, this coming Saturday evening.
Syracuse basketball, which has lost two straight, could use a momentum builder, and sweeping a pair of road contests out west would do just that. What's more, following the Orange's conference clashes at Stanford and then at Cal, Syracuse basketball will host No. 2 Duke next Wednesday night.
The Blue Devils, a group that has prevailed in an impressive 14 consecutive encounters, look every bit the part of a national championship contender in 2024-25, although Duke is only one game ahead of both Clemson and Louisville in the ACC standings.
For now, though, the 'Cuse has to focus on Stanford. Odds-makers may not like the Orange to prevail against the Cardinal, but if Syracuse basketball's roster plays to its collective potential, this is a game that the 'Cuse can win.