Syracuse vs. Miami Official TNIAAM Predictions & Poll

The Syracuse Orange (17-9, 6-7) dropped a tough game on Wednesday and now find themselves playing for their NCAA Tournament lives over these final few weeks of the regular season. That task starts with a trip south to face the Miami Hurricanes (18-7, 7-6), who find themselves a little more safely in the field.

You can watch Syracuse vs. Miami on CBS (hooray for availability!) or whatever wacky streaming service they have attached to CBS.

So what does (some of) the TNIAAM staff think will happen in this game?

Andrew Godnick

Miami 68, Syracuse 61

If the NC State game ended differently I probably would have gone the other way in this one, but the loss to the Wolfpack seems to devastating to overcome. The Orange need to play near perfect basketball to find a way into the big dance, but Saturday’s game won’t give them the win they need.

Kevin Wall

Miami 67, Syracuse 61

At this point I don’t know how many scholarship players will be ready to go at Miami. It’s asking a lot for this team to turn around after a tough loss and head on the road so quickly. If the Orange are going to steal a crucial road win they will need to take care of the ball, control the boards and limit Miami’s 3-pt shooting. We know this team will fight for 40 minutes but I expect another close loss.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

James Szuba

Syracuse 66, Miami 61

Syracuse has absolutely no business winning this game, which is exactly why it will. I think Syracuse can take advantage of a Bruce Brown-less, relatively young Miami team that has dropped its last two games. In similar fashion to the Louisville game, the Orange will jump out early and cling to a close lead late. Syracuse has done an underrated and solid job of manufacturing points in its last three games and defense travels. The Orange will limit Lonnie Walker and Dewan Huell and with Chris Lykes steadily getting more burn, look for the Syracuse guards to take advantage on the offensive end. Syracuse gets its best win of the season on Saturday.

John Cassillo

Miami 71, Syracuse 65

If Syracuse wants to go ahead and win this one randomly, be my guest. But Miami has a reasonable amount of depth, an ability to hit from outside and enough bodies down low to potentially put the short-staffed Orange in foul trouble. That’s really the recipe for an SU loss from here on out. Miami’s not as good without the injured Bruce Brown. Still, enough players step up to push past Syracuse late. Ugh.

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