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Last year, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defending their home court, knocking off the then-undefeated No. 1 Syracuse Orange in South Bend. This year, the Orange are reeling, having lost two-straight. However, they'll be the ones trying to defend home court this time and it's a home court advantage that means something.
Saturday, the Kansas Jayhawks lost at home for the first time in 34 games. That means that Syracuse's 35-game home winning streak is not only still No. 1 but is also that much further ahead of the new No. 2, South Dakota State (28). That streak includes a 2011 win over the Irish in the Dome.
Even without the streak, a win is critical for the Orange, who need a serious kick in the pants in order to get back on track. With a limited roster, the team needs solid performances out of multiple players each game, something they didn't get in Pittsburgh.
Syracuse is losing steam in Big East play and in the rankings while the home court streak might not be critical, it's the kind of motivational tool that might just be enough to right the ship. We'll take anything we can get.