Huge road test for the Orange
The Syracuse Orange (4-2) will play their first road game of the season when they face the #3 ranked Tennessee Volunteers (7-0) tonight at 7:30 on ESPN. The Volunteers are the top team in the NET rankings and are 20.5 point favorites according to FanDuel.
Here’s how we see this game going:
Kevin: Tennessee 85, Syracuse 70
It’s hard to see a way the Orange come home with an enormous win in this one. The Volunteers have held every opponent under 70 points and Syracuse is going to have to find ways to get and make shots or else this can get ugly quick. Usually the best way to earn an upset is to make 3s and force turnovers and those are two areas where the Orange have struggled to start the year. If they can find a way to make shots and can continue their strong rebounding, they might be able to make a game of it, but I think Tennessee will take over early in the second half and cruise home.
Mike: Tennessee 88, Syracuse 65
I’ve hated this matchup since it was announced and the odds have not improved whatsoever since then. If Syracuse has even one cold shooting stretch in this game, they’re likely out of it, barring a complete 180 from their defensive efforts. On top of a suffocating defense of their own, the Vols dominate from the arc and no combination of man and zone that the Orange can throw at them will stop some of those shots from falling. It’s the perfect time to remember that football is getting a warm weather bowl soon…
Dom: Tennessee 82, Syracuse 66
So far in its non-con slate, Syracuse has been able to keep things close whether the game ended up being a win or loss. I don’t think that will be the case with Tennessee, who easily boasts a top-three defense and physicality at pretty much every position. Even if the Orange can get out in transition, this is the game where the team’s major weaknesses on offense (namely outside shooting and too much isolation) play right into the hands of the Vols.
Sam: Tennessee 79, Syracuse 63
I think there’s a few ways that this game can go. The first is the way of the North Carolina away game last year, where the Orange get completely blasted from the start. The other is the way of the Tennessee game last year, where SU hangs around early before the Vols really settle into their offense, but fall behind and never really threaten again. I’m going to pick the latter, and while I’m not giving any betting advice, this team is probably too talented to be 20-point underdogs to anybody (which isn’t saying much).
Szuba: Tennessee 88, Syracuse 61
From what we’ve observed from Syracuse so far, slow starts and a lack of defensive intensity have hurt this team as guys are still figuring out roles early on. If the defensive shortcomings persist, Chaz Lanier should have no problem getting his shot off and scoring the ball. Tennessee is both the No. 2 team overall in KenPom as well as defensive efficiency, so it goes without saying Syracuse’s scorers will have a tough go. If Syracuse is missing any of its starters, a tough game will become that much more difficult The Vols haven’t lost a non-conference home game since 2019. Hard to think that streak comes to an end with a team struggling to shoot the ball and defend.
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Now it’s your turn