Hoping for a get right before the Hoyas come to town
The Syracuse Orange (4-4) are looking to climb over the .500 mark tonight when they host the UAlbany Great Danes (6-4). The game tips at 7:00 on ESPN2 from the JMA Wireless Dome and here’s what we’re predicting in this one:
Dom: Syracuse 84, UAlbany 72
UAlbany does boast some talent on the perimeter and will at least get some points on the board, but even as shaky as Syracuse’s offense has looked at times, there’s little reason to expect the Orange not to crack at least 75 points against this defense. This will play out similar to the Cornell game where things are close in the first half but Syracuse gets a decent margin and manages to stay ahead coming out of halftime.
Mike: Syracuse 80, UAlbany 73
Until a game actually goes differently this season, I’ll keep predicting the same thing: the Orange make this way closer than it should be but eventually the more talented roster scrapes together a large enough run to put it away. There should be a better overall shooting performance than against Notre Dame, and I hope Adrian Autry rides the hottest hands throughout the night but also isn’t hesitant to make subs if other guys stay cold.
Kevin: Syracuse 84, UAlbany 79
Hopefully the Orange coaching staff pulled Choppa Moore aside on the flight back from South Bend and told him he needs to look to score. I also hope the staff told Chris Bell to stop stressing about scoring and just play the game. Look for Bell to get some early looks and let him see the ball go through the net. The Great Danes will get enough offense of their own to make this another close game. I don’t see how you can pick Syracuse to win by double-digits in regulation until they prove it.
Szuba: Syracuse 82, UAlbany 75
We know the Syracuse defense hasn’t been up to standard this season, but UAlbany’s defense is much worse, ranking 243 (KenPom) and 276 (Torvik) in the country. Syracuse should be able to score the ball inside and own the glass. Look for the freshmen and Davis to continue their solid play. This should be the kind of game where the Orange look to get Bell going offensively.
Sam: Syracuse 88, UAlbany 79
Unlike the last game where I figured the two teams would struggle on the offensive end, I think this is a game where both teams struggle defensively. We’ll have plenty of comments on the site about UAlbany’s guards breaking down SU guards off the dribble, but Syracuse will have enough to get the win.
Max: Syracuse 83, Albany 74
Here’s another excellent opportunity for the Orange to rediscover their shooting stroke. The Great Danes have one of the worst defenses in the country, allowing an over 58% effective shooting percentage to their opponents (356th). SU’s defense is spotty in its own right, but I think Bell finally breaks out offensively and makes up for a few defensive lapses. It’ll come down to the wire (as it always does), but Autry’s crew should squeak by their in-state foe.
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