Syracuse (5-0) grabbed an encouraging 79-76 win over No. 18 UConn at the Battle 4 Atlantis on Thursday, and now has a shot to win the three-day tournament. The Orange faces No. 25 Texas A&M (6-0) at 3 p.m., and The Daily Orange beat writers didn’t fully agree with their game predictions.

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Sam Blum (4-1)
Syracuse 70, Texas A&M 68
How the battle was won

Syracuse showed that it is a lot, lot better than people expected by beating a No. 18 Connecticut team that isn’t going anywhere. Texas A&M is apparently the biggest and strongest team that Jim Boehiem has seen in his life, but the hyperbolic head coach will be celebrating after taking home the Battle 4 Atlantis crown.

Jesse Dougherty (4-1)
Syracuse 73, Texas A&M 69
A full feast

Syracuse proved a lot of things in an upset win over Connecticut, most importantly that its backcourt really can lead the way on both ends. Then factor in Tyler Lydon and the clutch shooting of fellow freshman Malachi Richardson, and you get a team that is heating up at a decently good time. A back-to-reality loss is in the Orange’s near future, but it doesn’t come on Friday and SU wins the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Matt Schneidman (5-0)
Texas A&M 65, Syracuse 60
Food coma

Boeheim said he hasn’t seen a team as big, strong or physical as the Aggies in his life. That’s 71 years and that’s a long time. The Orange was able to outlast UConn despite foul trouble from not defending straight-up. But a Texas A&M team more imposing down low exploits SU’s post defense, or lack thereof, and grinds out a narrow win.

Published on November 27, 2015 at 12:45 pm