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Syracuse suffered its largest defeat of the season, getting blown out 83-54 by No. 2 Duke on Wednesday. The defeat marks SU’s fourth in five games and the third straight time it lost to Duke by at least 20 points. Despite projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Cooper Flagg scoring just 11 points on seven shots, the Orange were crushed. Tyrese Proctor led the way with a game-high 16 points while the Blue Devils held SU to just 38% shooting from the field.

J.J. Starling and Jyáre Davis each scored 12 points in addition to Naheem McLeod’s season-high 10, but it wasn’t enough to defeat arguably the best team in college basketball. Syracuse faces a lesser test on Saturday as it welcomes Boston College to the JMA Wireless Dome.

SU defeated BC 79-71 on Jan. 11, where Starling scored 20 of his game-high 26 points in the second half as the Orange overcame an eight-point deficit. Another win over BC would put Syracuse two-and-a-half games above the Eagles, who’d be the last team to miss the conference tournament.

Here’s how our beat writers feel Syracuse (10-13, 4-8 Atlantic Coast) will fare against Boston College (10-12, 2-9 Atlantic Coast)

Zak Wolf (20-3)
Avoiding the bottom three
Syracuse 79, Boston College 70

This isn’t the first time I’m saying this and probably not the last, but Syracuse can create some breathing room between itself and the three teams that will miss the ACC Tournament. It’s a sad reality, considering how great this program once was, though it’s not a crazy statement. With that being said, I don’t see Syracuse losing this one. And if it does, sound the alarm bells.

BC has just two conference wins this season, one of which came when it scored six points in seven seconds against Florida State. Syracuse hasn’t been good this year, but it’s the better team here.

Starling showed last time against BC he can will SU to wins. That will be the case Saturday. The Orange’s leading scorer is shooting just 30% over his last four games, but this will be a get-right game for him. Look for Starling to get downhill and live in the paint due to his jump shot lacking the past couple games.

On the flip side, Syracuse will need to contain BC’s most proficient scorer Donald Hand Jr. The sophomore guard scored 20 points last time out against Syracuse, but I think the Orange will do a better job of containing him Saturday. As long as Hand doesn’t go off and Starling is efficient, Syracuse should take care of business in this one.

Aiden Stepansky (20-3)
Survive and advance
Syracuse 73, Boston College 69

Syracuse’s two-game stretch against Boston College and Miami is pivotal. It gives it the opportunity to further secure its place in the ACC Tournament. The two squads are a combined 3-19 in conference play, with one of those victories being BC’s over the Hurricanes. SU can’t squander this opportunity. For the first leg of it, the Orange won’t.

Last time out against the Eagles, I remember Justin and I sitting at Conte Forum with nine minutes left thinking the Orange were about to be the worst team in the ACC. While the thought still isn’t impossible, an improbable come-from-behind victory gave Syracuse a much-needed road win, its first of the year. Starling’s heroics in that one distracted from an Eddie Lampkin Jr. vs Chad Venning heavyweight fight down low, even resulting in a technical foul on Lampkin.

Since that win from the Orange, they’re 2-5 in the ACC. While that sounds awful (it is), BC is 1-5. While the absence of Donnie Freeman remains largely a mystery, I see Lampkin getting the best of Venning inside, with help from Davis and McLeod — who’s recently seen an increased role. It will be close, and it will be ugly. But Syracuse will survive and advance to live another day on the border of the conference tournament.

Justin Girshon (18-5)
Run it back
Syracuse 75, Boston College 69

Syracuse’s blowout loss to Duke was disappointing but not surprising. The Blue Devils are arguably the best team in the country, and that was extremely apparent Wednesday night. Luckily for SU, it comes off facing easily the best team in the conference to arguably the worst.

And just like the Orange did last month at Conte Forum, I see them running it back with another win over Boston College. Saturday’s contest is considered Quad 4 for Syracuse, an area it’s undefeated in.

This is the Orange’s first Quad 4 game since their nonconference schedule ended with a 75-63 win over Bucknell in late December. As it stands, it’s also SU’s last Quad 4 game this season, making it extremely important for it to corral a win as it fights for an ACC Tournament spot.

I see Starling again dominating against the Eagles, giving the Orange much needed breathing room for the conference tournament with seven games remaining.

Published on February 7, 2025 at 9:38 pm