Syracuse is putting its four-game winning streak on the line Jan. 25 with a matchup against Pittsburgh (13-6, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference). Saturday’s contest is Syracuse’s (12-7, 5-3) first home game since a 76-50 win over Boston College on Jan. 15.

Here are the beat writers’ picks for Saturday’s game.

Nick Alvarez (13-6)
Rollin’
Syracuse 80, Pittsburgh 70

That Notre Dame win might be enough to slightly alter postseason projections. Syracuse has answered nearly all its questions. It’s handled the bottom half of the ACC, launching itself into the top-four for now. And Pitt can be added to one of the teams firmly beneath the Orange. The zone’s handled a variety of scoring options and the Panthers don’t have the playmaking to crack it. Pitt averages more turnovers per game than assists. And Pitt is on the road, where they’re 1-2 in conference play. Syracuse’s run should continue as the bubble nears. SU should keep it rollin’.

Michael McCleary (13-6)
Bottomless Pitt
Syracuse 79, Pittsburgh 68

The Orange are seemingly pulling from an endless bag of tricks to get these wins. Defense. Offense. Everything. It’s all working, and at the right time. Not all of these wins have been easy. Really, none at all. The Orange have beaten tough teams, and proven that they have the capability to compete in the ACC. But the thing that will always hang over Syracuse’s head is whether or not that alone is good enough. In recent games, that type of pressure has seen the Orange respond in a positive way. Against Pitt, Syracuse will extend its win-streak to five, and keep that same energy going.

Josh Schafer (13-6)
We didn’t start the fire
Syracuse 82, Pittsburgh 71

At this point, I just can’t pick against Syracuse. After the two losses to start the year, we wanted to bury a team that isn’t ready for that yet. The Orange are scoring in different ways each game. Sometimes it’s the shooting, other times it’s interior scoring. If that scoring diversity continues, Syracuse will be a tough team to beat moving forward. The Panthers don’t shoot the ball well from beyond the arc and lack a dominant presence down low. That’s the exact opposite of the formula that’s beaten Syracuse this year. It’s hard to see why Pittsburgh comes in and puts out the fire.

Published on January 22, 2020 at 11:51 pm