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Propelled by a season-high 55 first-half points and 50.8% shooting from the field, Syracuse captured a 87-83 win over NC State to sweep the season series. SU forward Chris Bell notched a team-high 26 points on eight 3s and backup guard Quadir Copeland tallied a career-high 25.

Though Syracuse held a 55-40 advantage at halftime, the Wolfpack completed a furious comeback to lead 82-81 with 3:14 remaining. NC State guard DJ Horne poured in a game-best 32 points but missed the potential game winner.

SU returns home for a meeting with Notre Dame Saturday. The Fighting Irish enter the JMA Wireless Dome on a three-game winning streak — with victories over Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Louisville — and sit at 13th in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Saturday also marks “Coach Jim Boeheim Day,” a celebration honoring former SU head coach Jim Boeheim and his accomplishments.

Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (17-10, 8-8 ACC) will fare against Notre Dame (10-16, 5-10 ACC):

Cole Bambini (20-7)
No luck of the Irish
Syracuse 81, Notre Dame 67

It’s fair to say that you never know what version of Syracuse you’re going to get. It’s unpredictable at times, but Saturday’s game against Notre Dame has the feel that this is the most assuring conference win SU might have all season.

Notre Dame, J.J. Starling’s former squad, enters as one of the worst teams in the conference and plays against a Syracuse team that has a chance to make it three wins of its last four games. This is a must-win game for Syracuse if it wishes to avoid playing on Day 1 at the ACC Tournament.

Entering their Wednesday game versus Louisville, the Fighting Irish had the second-highest scoring defense in the conference, limiting opponents to just over 65 points per game. Should Bell and Copeland, both coming off 25-plus point performances against NC State, maintain offensive form, I don’t think ND’s defense will be as much of a factor and it’ll be out of luck.

Henry O’Brien (19-8)
Leprechauns aren’t real
Syracuse 80, Notre Dame 67

Syracuse really does have a winning formula this upcoming Saturday. First, the Orange are facing one of the worst teams in the ACC. Second, they are in the comfy confines of the JMA Wireless Dome. Advanced analysis, I know.

But seriously, we’ve seen how this team performs on the road (3-6) and how it performs at home (12-2). The differences are stark. Against a conference cellar-dweller in Georgia Tech, SU couldn’t even muster more than 60 points. But in the Dome against Louisville, the current last place team in the conference, the Orange dropped 94.

If the NC State win offers any insight, Bell and Copeland will have to go off again while Judah Mintz should light it up in the first half. Once the offense heats up only slightly, it will be a done deal as the Irish have an abysmal offense. Therefore, I’m expecting smooth sailing for the Orange.

Tyler Schiff (21-6)
Celebration all around
Syracuse 78, Notre Dame 65

Coming off an energizing away victory over NC State, Syracuse should string together its second consecutive win Saturday when it hosts Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish have struggled this season with losses to Citadel and Western Michigan — lowly Division I sides which rank 261st and 308th, according to KenPom’s rankings. An alarmingly lethargic offense, ND’s 61.9 points per game, 39.8% overall shooting clip and 29.8% 3-point mark all place last in the ACC.

And then there’s the lopsided talent gap. Mintz, Starling and Copeland — coming off of a career performance — are too athletic for Notre Dame’s freshmen backcourt pairing of Markus Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry. The Fighting Irish don’t flaunt size either as no player stands over 6-foot-11 — a welcome sign for Maliq Brown and a thin Syracuse frontcourt. Bell’s incredibly efficient recent production can’t be ignored either.

My tagline tells the story of a comfortable win and an ability for fans to celebrate Boeheim’s career.

Published on February 21, 2024 at 11:45 pm