The Syracuse Orange continue their road show tonight when they take on the Boston College Eagles in Conte Forum. The Eagles are looking for a little payback while the Orange are looking to get back on track. Will SU regain some positive momentum as Duke looms? Let's see what the TNIAAM crew thinks...
Kevin Wall
Syracuse 74 - BC 72
On the schedule this shows up as a road game, but with a city buried in snow, and a lot of orange in the stands it should feel like home for the Orange (not to mention the home team wearing all gray uniforms). BC made a late run in the first meeting between these two teams, but their inability to shoot the 3 was a big factor. I would expect the Eagle to try a different attack against the zone this time, and the key for Syracuse will be to make Oliver Hanlan work for his points. Look for BC to emulate the strategy of every other ACC team and send waves of defenders after Rakim Christmas and this game sets up an opportunity for Tyler Roberson to do some damage inside and exploit the Orange's advantage in the front court.
Michael Burke
Syracuse 67 - BC 63
I don't have much faith remaining in Syracuse on the road, so my confidence level with this pick isn't very high. But Boston College is the ACC'S worst team, with its only in-conference win coming at Georgia Tech -- the ACC's second worst team -- by two points. The Eagles have also lost four straight and nine of their last 11, so they're struggling even more than is the Orange. I'll take Syracuse in a nail-biter behind a big performance from Michael Gbinije, who is coming off arguably his best game of the season in Saturday's loss at Pittsburgh and who led the Orange with 17 points when these teams met three weeks ago.
Dan Lyons
Syracuse 72 - BC 70
I've learned not to overestimate this Syracuse team, even when the opponent is seriously underwhelming. SU is just 2-6 on the road this season, and perhaps more alarmingly, just 6-13-1 against the spread, which makes a very slim 1.5 point line on tonight's game make a bit more sense. I don't think the Eagles have the talent that SU does, but they played the Orange pretty tight at the Carrier Dome, and are a better team than they were last year, when they beat a 25-0 Syracuse team.
With that all being said, Boston College has elected to wear new uniforms for this game. Throwback uniforms. GRAY throwback uniforms. They'll probably lose on a Ron Patterson 45-footer.
Sean Keeley
Syracuse 69 - BC 67
At this point, some things have been made abundantly clear. 1. Syracuse will not blow anyone out. 2. Syracuse very easily could lose this road game. 3. It will come down to the wire. Throw out everything else you think you know about Syracuse basketball in 2015, these are the only facts. BC gave the Orange a scare last time and I don't doubt any different tonight, especially at home and in their fancy uniforms. Syracuse might not even "deserve" to win this game, but I think they'll find a way. Hopefully, Rakeem Christmas is in 30-points-a-night mode from here on out. Why the hell not?
How about you?