Syracuse basketball starts their West Coast trip in a meeting with Stanford. Keep reading for a full Syracuse vs Stanford prediction.
This will be the second meeting between the two sides. The first came back in 2011 when Syracuse used a late run to defeat Stanford. The Orange are coming off a close loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday, while the Cardinal are riding a three-game win streak that started with a final-second game-winner in Chapel Hill.
Game information:
Teams: Syracuse (9-11, 3-6) and Stanford (14-6, 6-3)
Tip-off: 11 p.m. EST
Watch: ESPNU
Listen: 97.7 ESPN Radio Syracuse/ 90.1 Stanford
Latest on Stanford basketball:
Stanford basketball’s matchup with Syracuse will wrap up a three-game home stand for the Cardinal. Stanford has been one of the biggest surprises in the ACC this season, and at 6-3, the Cardinal have a great opportunity to grab the coveted double-bye in the ACC tournament.
Stanford is in the middle of the conference in almost every statistical category. But they have found a way to win games in what could be categorized as a “down year” for the ACC. The Cardinal have done a good job of balancing their offensive attack. They shoot a respectable 44% from the field, which is right below Syracuse in the conference.
The bright spot for Stanford this season has been Maxime Raynaud. The senior is currently the only player in the conference averaging more than 20 points per game and also leads the ACC in rebounds with 11.7 per game. He has also won ACC Player of the Week three separate times this season.
Stanford is currently undefeated at home in conference play, and with a win tonight can move into a tie for fourth in the ACC.
Latest on Syracuse basketball:
The Orange have lost three of their last four games and are fighting to avoid the ACC tournament “bubble” talk with a successful west coast trip. At 3-6 in the conference Syracuse basketball sits one game above the cut-off to make the trip to Charlotte for the conference tournament.
Last time out, the Orange played host to Pittsburgh, but even with the loss there were still a few bright spots. Eddie Lampkin Jr. had a career-high in rebounds with 23. This is the third most in a single game in Syracuse basketball history, and the first time a Syracuse player has grabbed 23 rebounds since 1990. J.J. Starling has also been a star this season for the Orange, as he has scored in double figures in six of his last seven games.
The Orange have been much improved in the rebounding category, but they continue to struggle on the defensive end. Syracuse gives up 78 points per game which is the second most in the conference and outside the top 315 in the country. They have also struggled from behind the arc, shooting just 31% on the season.
If the Orange can find a way to slow down Raynaud and find consistency from deep, they will have a chance to start their west coast swing with a win.
Syracuse vs Stanford Prediction: Cardinal by 9
It is hard to ignore what Maxime Raynaud has done for this Stanford squad and it is even more difficult to imagine his play declining. Mixing star power with Stanford’s dominance at home, the Cardinal will control the game and win by 9.