It’s a Nooner on the CW
The Syracuse Orange (4-3) will play their first ACC game of the 24-25 season when they face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-5) tomorrow at Noon on ESPN. The CW. Both teams are missing their leading scorers and are desperate for a win to start conference play.
Here’s how we see this game going:
Kevin: Syracuse 68, Notre Dame 66
Honestly I don’t know how this game will go. Markus Burton and JJ Starling did so much for their respective teams that both are going to struggle. To me this one comes down to which team can rebound better and get some shots at the rim. I think this is a game where the combination of Lampkin/Freeman/Davis can do some damage in the lane and it’s enough to get the Orange out of South Bend with a close win.
Mike: Notre Dame 62, Syracuse 55
The stage is set for one of those games where just making a basket seems to require divine intervention. Haven’t had a low scoring game yet so why not make the ACC opener one when both teams are really lacking rhythm the past two weeks? Notre Dame has a very thin bench which makes me think Elijah Moore can find a favorable matchup, but will that be enough if the starting five can’t produce?
Dom: Syracuse 72, Notre Dame 64
The Fighting Irish profile as one of the best three-point shooting teams in the ACC in both volume and efficiency, but this could easily be the game where Syracuse dominates on the glass, in the fastbreak and with rebounding on both ends. Expect more of a low-scoring contest for both sides, but I’m holding out hope the Orange can rebound like they’ve previously done after getting torched the game prior.
Sam: Notre Dame 70, Syracuse 64
The ACC is in “break glass in case of emergency” status. 2-14 in the ACC/SEC Challenge won’t help in March, and both of these teams looked abysmal on the road on Tuesday. At the end of the day, I’ll side with the coach that I trust more, which is Micah Shrewsberry, and the fact that it’s an ND home game definitely helps.
Szuba: Notre Dame 75, Syracuse 69
Syracuse should be able to compete in this game but given how Notre Dame hung tough with Rutgers, Houston and Creighton without their best player and how effective Notre Dame’s offense is under Shrewsberry, I’ll take the Irish in this one. The topic of the Syracuse defense is becoming a bee in a bonnet around these parts, but Syracuse hasn’t shown that it can stop teams. For that reason, give me Notre Dame at home as Syracuse is still searching for an identity and something to hang its hat on.
Finn: Notre Dame 62, Syracuse 59
The Orange were all but convincing in their last outing and will struggle even more without JJ Starling. Notre Dame is missing Burton but has already tested some of the better teams in college basketball, including Rutgers and Houston. The Orange have struggled for consistent offense all season and I don’t think this will change away in South Bend against a staunch Irish defense that has been able to compete with more complete sides.
Max: Syracuse 66, Notre Dame 62
I’ll play the optimist and go with Syracuse, who has nothing to lose at this point. Yes, the Orange defense has looked abysmal, but the slow pace of this game should eliminate easy fastbreak points and work in their favor. Give Elijah Moore more minutes, pound the ball into the paint with Lampkin and Freeman (SU has a decent height advantage down low), and good things will happen.
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Now it’s your turn