Syracuse basketball makes the long trip down to Tallahassee, Florida for a battle of two ACC teams in search of their first conference win of the season. Keep reading for the Syracuse vs Florida State prediction.
Syracuse leads the all-time series, but since joining the ACC, Florida State is 5-2 against the Orange. However, with both teams struggling heading into conference play, the Orange are looking to turn the season around and avoid dropping to 0-3 in conference play for the first time since the 2015-2016 season.
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The Seminoles enter their third conference game 9-4. But hosting Syracuse basketball could be a great chance for Florida State to get back on track. Prior to Saturday’s matchup, FSU was the best team in the ACC at defending the three-point shot holding their opponents to just 28%.
Other than that defensive category, the Seminoles are in the middle of the pack for almost every category in the ACC. They rank 7th in the conference in scoring defense, but they are ranked inside of the top 75 in the country in defensive efficiency, which has been a staple of almost any Leonard Hamilton squad.
The Seminoles also force more turnovers than any other team in the conference at 15.8 per game. If they can force the Orange into a “three-point game” and take care of the ball, the Seminoles will be in a great spot to pick up their first conference win of the season.
The player to watch for the Seminoles is Jamir Watkins. The 6-foot-7 guard is averaging 19.5 points per game, which is second in the ACC. With his size and scoring ability, he could be a problem for the Orange on both sides of the ball.
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Syracuse basketball enters Saturday’s game struggling to find their footing at 6-7. The Orange will once again be without their star guard JJ Starling who is nearing a return from a left hand injury.
All Syracuse basketball fans know the struggles from behind the arc. The Orange come into Saturday’s game shooting 28% from behind the arc, which is outside the top 330 in the country. However, the Orange have proved at times that they can be competitive by getting the ball inside the painted area, led by Colorado transfer Eddie Lampkin.
However, the Orange have gotten a lift from two unlikely sources. With Starling out, Kyle Cuffe Jr. has received a bump in playing time. The 6-foot-2 junior is coming off of a season-best performance, as he had 14 points in the loss to Wake Forest. Georgia State transfer Lucas Taylor is also coming off of a season-best 16 points in the previous game.
With the recent struggles in the Salt City, the Orange will need an energized bench and utilize the painted area if they want to find their first conference win of the season.
The player to watch for the Orange is Donnie Freeman. The two-way forward has shown the ability to make shots on every level of the floor. On the season, the 6-foot-9 freshman has five double-doubles and is averaging 13.2 points per game, which is second on the team behind Starling.
Syracuse vs Florida State prediction: Seminoles by 4
After Syracuse basketball’s loss to Wake Forest which was closer than the box score shows, they should come out with energy. But Florida State should be able to withstand the initial punch from the Orange and win their first conference win in close fashion.