Syracuse vs. Georgetown: TNIAAM Predictions & Poll

Welp, Wednesday wasn’t great on several fronts. For our purposes here, it’s worth noting that the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team no-showed the second half en route to a 63-60 loss to an undermanned Pittsburgh Panthers team. Now, at 6-2 (1-1), Syracuse will try to right the ship against the hated Georgetown Hoyas (3-7, 1-5 in Big East play).

Georgetown hasn’t been all that great since 2015, but SU’s still managed to lose to them three times in the last five matchups just the same. This Hoyas squad seems even worse than those teams. Though also, this year’s Syracuse team gets a bit streaky.

Before the primetime matchup tips off at 8 p.m. ET from the Carrier Dome on Saturday, here’s what the TNIAAM staff thinks is going to happen:

Christian

Syracuse 63, Georgetown 59

Both of these teams have been vastly inconsistent in scoring the basketball. If you’re expecting a defensive showdown, this is not the place to watch it. The big thing is that Quincy Guerrier and Marek Dolezaj need to stay out of foul trouble. If Syracuse finds itself in another close game down the stretch, both forwards are Syracuse’s most reliable scoring options. There’s too much inconsistency with the way the guards shoot the ball that another Pitt result is not out of the question. But then again, we’re not looking at a great scoring team in Georgetown so the game could get sloppy, which probably doesn’t benefit Syracuse.

Should this be a Syracuse win? Yes. But as this season has demonstrated, we can’t make foregone conclusions until the final whistle blows.

Ajayi

Syracuse 78, Georgetown 64

I expect Alan Griffin to have another big game. Quincy Guerrier got into some foul trouble last game and that led to him having one of his worst games of the season. I expect him to bounce right back to his regular season form to lead the Orange to victory.

Kevin

Syracuse 68, Georgetown 64

I expect that the Orange will make a concerted effort to get better shots on Saturday night but it’s hard to expect another offensive explosion right now. The Hoyas are committing 16 turnovers a game so I think the Syracuse press could be an effective weapon to create easy offensive opportunities. Syracuse’s guards need to keep an eye on Jahvon Blair and Donald Carey as they are the biggest perimeter threats against the zone.

Szuba

Syracuse 75, Georgetown 68

This isn’t your father’s Syracuse vs. Georgetown matchup. The Orange should shake some of the shooting rust off with one game and almost a full week of practice under its belt. Georgetown doesn’t defend well, but its three point defense is particularly worse than its inside defense. If the 2-3 zone can slow down Jahvon Blair and rebound just enough, there’s no reason Syracuse shouldn’t win this game.

John

Syracuse 79, Georgetown 74

This Georgetown team isn’t good, BUT they do have size inside that could put Marek Dolezaj and Quincy Guerrier in foul trouble — not a great look for the offense, either. Add in a rebounding advantage for the Hoyas, and this becomes a far more concerning game than what things look like at first glance. Syracuse gets enough shots to fall from outside to earn the win, yet it’s another rough and uneven effort that shows off the defensive concerns for this team both in the paint and on the perimeter.

Now it’s your turn...