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Syracuse kept its NCAA Tournament bubble bid alive with a win over NC State on Tuesday night, and next faces Boston College (3-12, 1-8 Atlantic Coast) — a program that has faltered for nearly the entire season. Alan Griffin led the Orange with 22 points in “his best game,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said, while Kadary Richmond added a balanced stat line of eight points, four assists and three steals in 25 minutes.

In the win, SU (11-6, 5-5) made more than 45% of its 3-pointers (47.4%) for the first time since it played BC on Dec. 12 and hit a program-record 16 3s. The Eagles have gone 2-7 since that game, and had five games canceled before returning from a COVID-19 pause with a loss to the Wolfpack and a four-point home loss against Wake Forest.

Here’s what our three beat writers think will happen when the Orange face BC on Saturday.

Andrew Crane (11-6)
She Comeees from Boston
Syracuse 81, Boston College 65

Both of these have come a long way since the first time they played on Dec. 12. Syracuse isn’t the team that made 16 3-pointers or topped 100 points. Boston College isn’t the team that only lost to then-No. 3 Villanova by nine points and took Minnesota to overtime. The reality is that, as bad as the Orange have been throughout the season — with poor defensive efficiency, offensive rebounding and 3-point shooting — BC is far worse.

Winning a game like this won’t instantly put SU back in into NCAA Tournament mock brackets, but a loss would certainly eliminate it barring a run in Greensboro, North Carolina. If the Orange are actually a bubble team, they’ll win this game comfortably — without any questions or doubts along the way — and cruise into a resume-boosting opportunity against Louisville on Feb. 17. Look for Griffin, who scored 22 points in the first meeting, to continue the progress he made on Tuesday and lead Syracuse’s offense.

Anthony Dabbundo  (13-4)
No excuses
Syracuse 83, Boston College 71

It won’t be as easy as last time, when SU opened ACC play with its largest win since joining the conference and 101 points. But Boston College is really bad defensively, cannot guard the interior and has dealt with COVID-19 issues recently. Syracuse’s best offensive showing came against the Eagles, when they made open shots and sliced through the BC defense with passing and moving. 

The Eagles could keep this close if they make a lot of 3s, but they also present very little in terms of rebounding to trouble the Orange, and this should be a routine win. There is no excuse for Syracuse to lose this game, or even have it be particularly close late.

Danny Emerman (12-5)
Don’t Look Back
Syracuse 79, Boston College 63

Boston College is the ACC’s bottom-feeder and has been decimated by COVID-19 issues as of late. SU is starting to heat up at the most pivotal time of the season, and BC has no business stunting any of that momentum. Syracuse could use this second matchup to get back on track from behind the arc — it shot the lights out in the first meeting — which could give its struggling shooters some confidence.

Published on February 10, 2021 at 10:17 pm