With no road games at Duke, North Carolina, Virginia or North Carolina State, what should Syracuse basketball fans look out for on the road this season?
We’re ranking the toughest places to play this season for the Orange’s 11 true road games.
*All times are Eastern Standard Time Zone
11. Cal (Saturday, Feb. 1 – 10 p.m.)
Haas Pavilion (Berkeley, CA)
‘23-’24
Average Attendance: 4,566
Stadium Capacity: 11,877
Overall Record: 13-19
Home Record: 10-6
Best Home Win(s): Colorado (W 82-78), Oregon (W 69-64)
Worst Home Loss: v Pacific (L 87-79), v Montana State (L 63-60)
Syracuse Road Results 23-24: N/A
One of three new members joining the Atlantic Coast Conference (albeit from the Pacific Coast), Cal is no stranger to solid conference competition. The PAC-12 got four teams into the Big Dance last year, and Cal beat three of them (Colorado, Oregon, Washington State) at home. But with the highs, come the lows. A loss to Pacific, a team that finished 0-16 in the West Coast Conference last season, is baffling. But with a bigger arena that doesn’t fill the way they’d like to (average capacity around 38%), Cal has been PAC-12 fodder since making the tournament in 2016, with one above .500 season. The biggest concern for Syracuse is the travel (2,420 miles) and the late Saturday night tip (10:00 PM EST). But Syracuse shouldn’t trip in their Gold Coast road trip in late January/early February.
10. Stanford (Wednesday, Jan. 29 – Tip-Off TBA)
Maples Pavilion (Palo Alto, CA)
‘23-’24
Average Attendance: 3,538
Stadium Capacity: 7,233
Overall Record: 14-18
Home Record: 10-6
Best Home Win: v #4 Arizona (W 100-82)
Worst Home Loss: v Santa Clara (L 89-77), v UCLA (L 82-74)
Syracuse Results vs Opponent: N/A
Another West Coast team in the ACC will be the first stop on Syracuse’s California road trip. Stanford is weird. Syracuse Football found that out the hard way. One night they lose to Santa Clara by 12, the next they drop 100 points on #4 Arizona. New head coach Kyle Smith comes in from a March Madness Round of 32 run with Washington State (they hadn’t made the Big Dance since 2008!), and looks to give the Cardinal some juice in year one of their ACC tenure. But the Bay Area doesn’t seem to love its hoops like the rest of the PAC-12 did (they couldn’t fill half of a 7,233 seat stadium on an average basis). Again, the biggest concern is the travel (2,425 miles). And again, Syracuse shouldn’t trip in their west coast road trip. But Stanford may pull some random wins out of conference play.
Boston College (Saturday, Jan. 11 – 3 p.m.)
Conte Forum (Boston, MA)
‘23-‘24
Average Attendance: 5,493
Stadium Capacity: 8,606
Overall Record: 20-16
Home Record: 10-6
Best Home Win: Syracuse (W 80-75)
Worst Home Loss: v Pitt (L 90-65)
Syracuse Results vs Opponent: Home Win (Syracuse W 69-59), Road Loss (BC 80-75)
Head coach Earl Grant and Boston College are coming off of their first winning season since ‘17-‘18. However, the Eagles will face an up-hill battle with roster turnover, losing their star Quinten Post. Also with a 4-6 record last year at Conte Forum in ACC play, the Eagles are still searching for their breakout season under Grant.
While Conte Forum has not proven to be a difficult place to play, the Eagles boasted a win against a top-10 team, when #6 Virginia came to Chestnut Hill in February of 2023. If Boston College can build on their second-round exit from the NIT, a trip to Conte Forum may prove pesky for Syracuse. And anything can happen in these rivalry games.
8. SMU (Tuesday, Mar. 4 – 9 p.m.)
Moody Coliseum (University Park, TX)
‘23-‘24
Average Attendance: 5,134
Stadium Capacity: 7,000
Overall Record: 20-13
Home Record: 14-3
Best Home Win: Memphis (W 106-79)
Worst Home Loss: v UTSA (L 77-73)
Syracuse Results vs Opponent: N/A
The last of the new ACC bunch, welcome in SMU. It will be Syracuse’s first trip to the Lone Star State since 1995 (when they lost to #2 Arkansas as a #7 seed in the Round of 32 in the 1995 NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas). The AAC to ACC is an elevation in conference competition, but Southern Methodist’s only lost three games at home last year, two of them being to teams that made the Round of 32 (Dayton and Texas A&M). New coach Andy Enfield, former Southern California head coach, should have the Mustangs fighting for the upper middle of the ACC pack. If their home dominance translates to the ACC, Moody Coliseum will not be an easy place to play.
Notre Dame (Saturday, Dec. 7 – Noon)
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center (South Bend, IN)
‘23-‘24
Average Attendance: 6,096
Stadium Capacity: 9,149
Overall Record: 13-20
Home Record: 9-8
Best Home Win(s): Virginia (W 76-54), Clemson (W 69-62)
Worst Home Loss: Citadel (L 65-45)
Syracuse Results vs Opponent: Home Win (Syracuse 88-85)
Year one saw some growing pains under first year coach and former Penn State Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry. But the Fighting Irish did create some bright spots late in the season. They finished the season by winning five of their last eight regular season games, and a first round win in the ACC tournament.
The Irish also finished the season with four straight wins in South Bend, raising their home record to above the .500 line. Shrewsberry and the Irish return the majority of their starters including Markus Burton who started all 33 games. With a solid set of newcomers, Purcell Pavilion could be an interesting place for the Orange to open up ACC play in early December.
6. Florida State (Saturday, Jan. 4 – 6 p.m.)
Donald L. Tucker Civic Center (Tallahassee, FL)
‘23-‘24
Average Attendance: 6,251
Stadium Capacity: 12,500
Overall Record: 17-16
Home Record: 10-7
Best Home Win: Georgia Tech (W 82-71)
Worst Home Loss: Lipscomb (L 78-75)
Syracuse Results vs Opponent: Home Loss (FSU 85-69)
After the 2019-2020 season was cut short with FSU at #4 in the AP Poll, the Seminoles have struggled to reignite the magic in Tallahassee. But don’t let the recent Florida State struggles fool you. Since 2016, the Seminoles have had two undefeated seasons at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. Also between the ‘16-’17 and 2021-2022 seasons, FSU went 87-8 at home.
The Seminoles also have the longest tenured coach in the ACC. Leonard Hamilton kept this FSU squad competitive last season, going 10-10 in the conference. The good news for Syracuse is that they have been victorious in their last two trips to Tallahassee. But if Florida State can return near the top of the ACC, a trip to the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center may prove to be a difficult task for the Orange.
5. Pittsburgh (Tuesday, Feb. 18 – 7 p.m.)
Petersen Events Center (Pittsburgh, PA)
‘23-‘24
Average Attendance: 8,752
Stadium Capacity: 12,508
Overall Record: 22-11
Home Record: 13-5
Best Home Win: NC State (W 81-73)
Worst Home Loss: Missouri (L 71-64)
Syracuse Results vs Opponent: Home Win (Syracuse 81-73) and Road Win (Syracuse 69-58)
The Petersen Events Center and its student section, “The Oakland Zoo,” has provided Pittsburgh with an efficient home-court advantage. Over the last two seasons, the Panthers are 27-8 on their home floor, including a six game winning streak to end the ‘23-’24 season. Pittsburgh has also won three of the last four games against Syracuse in the Steel City.
The bright side for the Orange? The most recent loss that the Panthers faced in front of their home fans came against rival Syracuse in January of 2024. If the Panthers are contending for the coveted double-bye in the ACC tournament, the Petersen Events Center will be a very tough place for the Orange to infiltrate.
4. Miami (Tuesday, Feb. 11 – 7 p.m.)
Watsco Center (Coral Gables, FL)
‘23-‘24
Average Attendance: 7,159
Stadium Capacity: 7,972
Overall Record: 15-17
Home Record: 11-6
Best Home Win: #16 Clemson (W 95-82)
Worst Home Loss: Louisville (L 80-71)
Syracuse Results vs Opponent: Home Win (Syracuse 72-69)
Party in the city where the heat is on. Well, that was the case in the ‘21-‘22 season (Elite 8) and the ‘22-‘23 (Final Four). Last season, injuries played a role in Miami’s downfall in ACC play, snowballing into a second-to-last-place finish in the conference. But when Miami is good, their fans come out in droves. Losing guys like Norchad Omier and Wooga Poplar will hurt, but new faces may just be what the Hurricanes need. Stetson transfer Jalen Blackmon was 10th in the nation in scoring last season, shooting 43% from the field and 38% from deep. If Jim Laranaga can get Miami out of last season’s funk, the 305 will be rocking when Syracuse heads down south.
Clemson (Wednesday, Jan. 22 – 7 p.m.)
Littlejohn Coliseum (Clemson, SC)
‘23-‘24
Average Attendance: 7,706
Stadium Capacity: 9,000
Overall Record: 24-12
Home Record: 12-4
Best Home Win: Syracuse (W 90-75)
Worst Home Loss: Georgia Tech (L 2OT 93-90)
Syracuse Results vs Opponent: Home Loss (Clemson 77-68), Road Loss (Clemson 90-75)
Head coach Brad Brownell and Clemson have high hopes for the new season after reaching the Elite Eight in last year’s NCAA Tournament. Out of the Tiger’s four home losses last season, the largest was a 10-point loss to North Carolina. But the other three, were by a combined total of just five points.
However, the Tiger’s roster took some notable hits following the completion of the ‘23-’24 season, including PJ Hall and Joseph Girard III. To counteract this, Brownell brought in a few new faces including Jaedan Zackery, from ACC foe Boston College. If Clemson can ride the momentum from their historic tournament run, Littlejohn Coliseum will be a tough test for anyone making the trip to the Palmetto State.
2. Virginia Tech (Saturday, Mar. 1 – Noon)
Cassell Coliseum (Blacksburg, VA)
‘23-‘24
Average Attendance: 7,515
Stadium Capacity: 8,925
Overall Record: 19-15
Home Record: 15-2
Best Home Win: Virginia (W 75-41), #21 Clemson (W 87-72)
Worst Home Loss: Miami (L 75-71)
Syracuse Road Results: Home Win (Syracuse 84-71)
Exit light, enter the Hokies. While the adjacent Lane Stadium, home of the Hokies football team, is known as one the most electrifying atmospheres in college sports, Cassell Coliseum may need to be in the same conversation. Over the last two seasons Virginia Tech is 28-6 on their home floor, including two wins over teams ranked in the top 10.
On the other hand, the Hokies have used their home court success to keep their head above water. Each of the past two seasons, the Hokies have gone 2-10 on the road, leading to back-to-back 19-15 seasons. Playing Virginia Tech at home may not be of much concern, but a Syracuse trip to The Cassell requires maximum attention.
1. Tennessee (Tuesday, Dec. 3 – 7/7:30 p.m.)
Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center (Knoxville, TN)
‘23-‘24
Average Attendance: 19,664
Stadium Capacity: 21,678
Overall Record: 27-9
Home Record: 14-2
Best Home Win: #11 Auburn (W 92-84)
Worst Home Loss: South Carolina (L 63-59)
Syracuse Road Results: #7 Tennessee W (73-56 in Honolulu, Hawaii)
The first true road game for Syracuse basketball, and the fifth-largest arena in the country for men’s basketball doesn’t disappoint. Unless you’re an opposing team’s fan coming into Knoxville hoping to see your team win. They may not have last year’s Elite 8 team standout and SEC Player of the Year Dalton Knecht, but they’ve still got great defensive players in Zakai Zeigler, Jamai Mashack, and their new 6’ 11” Ohio State transfer, Felix Okpara. Syracuse hung around early with the Volunteers in the first round of the *Maui Invitational last year (played in Honolulu last year), down 30-25 at the half. Then Tennessee created some distance between them and the Orange, winning 73-56, and the rebound battle 48 to 33. Syracuse will need to play a near-perfect game in the Volunteer State if they want to stay perfect in the SEC-ACC Challenge (beat LSU in The Dome last year 80-57).