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Syracuse faces off against Miami on Tuesday evening following three consecutive conference losses. Lacking Bourama Sidibe since his Nov. 27 injury in the Orange’s season-opener against Bryant, SU struggled defensively in its most recent loss, a 96-76 drubbing against Pitt. 

Head coach Jim Boeheim said postgame that the defense was “probably the worst I’ve seen it since I’ve been here.” Here’s what our beat writers predict will happen when Syracuse (7-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast) takes on Miami (6-6, 2-5) in the Carrier Dome:

Andrew Crane (9-2)
Hit them like a Hurricane
Miami 69, Syracuse 64

Syracuse’s season is unraveling quickly. It’s lost three out of four since returning from a pause, and it squandered a double-digit lead in its one win against Georgetown. Bourama Sidibe hasn’t practiced at all, head coach Jim Boeheim said Monday, so that means interior help is further away than it appeared at the start of the new year. The team’s three-point shooting has been spotty at best after setting the program record for makes beyond the arc earlier this season. 

All those flaws will take the court against a Miami team that just knocked off a ranked Louisville team — even with the Hurricanes missing five of their rotation players — and lost to Virginia Tech, Clemson and North Carolina by a combined five points.

After the Orange’s loss on Saturday, Boeheim said a disastrous performance like that usually happens during the season. But the problem is SU doesn’t have the solution to prevent it from happening again. Miami won’t have an explosive offense output to beat the Orange by 20, but that doesn’t make a loss to a lower-tier Atlantic Coast Conference opponent any better on the NCAA Tournament resume.

Anthony Dabbundo (9-2)
Tropical turmoil
Syracuse 70, Miami 63

If Chris Lykes were playing in this game, his ability to dribble past the top of the Orange’s zone would make this a bad matchup for SU. But he’s unlikely to play, and the Hurricanes are a really bad jump shooting team. If wing Kameron McGusty does play, he’s unlikely to be 100%, and there’s too much pressure on Isaiah Wong to produce offensively for Miami. The ‘Canes turn it over too much and don’t make enough 3’s for me to pick them to beat Syracuse at home.

Miami won’t have a huge edge in any statistical category, and this is a must-win game for the Orange, so I’ll take Syracuse to bounce back from three consecutive conference losses and notch a win at home by a small but comfortable enough margin.

Miami does have a solid interior defense, so the Orange will need their jump shooting. And while Buddy Boeheim and Joe Girard III have struggled from beyond the arc, one of them will make just enough to push the Orange to 2-3 in conference play.

Danny Emerman (7-4)
Escape plan
Syracuse 71, Miami 70

Syracuse’s back is suddenly against the wall. With three straight conference losses, SU needs this game to get back on track. 

Miami is the worst 3-point shooting team in the ACC — and one of the worst in college basketball. If Lykes remains out, that especially plays right into the Orange’s hands. Syracuse will need much better production from its three guards than the “F” performance from Saturday’s Pittsburgh loss, but Girard, Buddy and Kadary Richmond are all capable of bouncing back. It’s going to be a tight one. It could come down to how well Syracuse can gang rebound. Miami has size, but Syracuse learned exactly how much it needs to emphasize the glass in its recent stretch.

I believe in this Syracuse team’s talent insomuch as it’s a bubble team. If they can’t beat Miami in essentially a must-win game, SU isn’t that, and I’d be wrong. So here’s to doubling down.

Published on January 18, 2021 at 5:22 pm