Can we win please?
After taking a 20-point loss at Louisville on Sunday, Syracuse has had five days to rest and prepare for Georgia Tech tomorrow. The Orange figure to need at least one more win to earn an at-large bid. It’s also senior night, so hats off to Andrew White, John Gillon, Tyler Roberson and Dajuan Coleman. Let’s hope it’s their last game at the Dome.
In the first meeting, Syracuse’s comeback effort came up just short as the Orange fell 71-65. Syracuse had the game cut to two when Tyler Roberson was whistled for a controversial illegal screen that ended up being costly.
If you didn’t know by now, Ben Lammers is on top of the scout as he owned the first matchup, finishing with 23 points, 7 rees and 7 blocks. Josh Okogie leads the team in scoring — he’s a dynamic guard who can mix it up. Tadric Jackson rounds out the troika of double-digit scorers on Tech. He dropped 20 off the bench in the first meeting. Quinton Stevens is fourth in scoring and rebounds the ball well.
Believe it or not, GT is ranked fifth in defensive efficiency team per Ken Pom, allowing just 90.3 points per 100 possessions. Although Syracuse (and the ACC as a whole) has been solid at home, defense usually travels so expect tough sledding on Saturday. The Orange shot just 35.7 percent from the floor in the first game and even worse from distance.
This game figures to be of utmost importance from for both teams. Syracuse has wins over fellow ACC bubble teams sans Georgia Tech. Having wins over all conference bubble teams obviously would bode well for the Orange. On the other hand, a road win for Georgia Tech against a fellow conference bubble team would likely go a long way. This isn’t an elimination game by any means, but the winner will put itself in good standing.
Buckle up!
