Syracuse’s final opportunity at a marquee win came and went with a 24-point loss to No. 11 Louisville on Wednesday. On Saturday, Syracuse (14-12, 7-8 Atlantic Coast) faces a Georgia Tech (13-13, 7-8) team it scored 97 points on and defeated by more than 30 points over two months ago. Since, the Yellow Jackets lacked a marquee win until they knocked off Louisville, 64-58, on Feb. 12.

Here’s what our beat writers think will happen in Syracuse’s second-to-last home game of the 2020 season.

Nick Alvarez (18-8)
Tech-nical
Syracuse 83, Georgia Tech 61

This is one of the easier predictions of ACC play. Georgia Tech’s offense isn’t very good and Syracuse should tighten a few things up against a lesser opponent. Elijah Hughes seems primed for another scoring outburst, but the key here is the frontcourt. Marek Dolezaj and Bourama Sidibe are coming off a rough stretch. They need to avoid foul trouble, let alone fouling out. The Orange should be favored in their next five games en route to the NIT. Let’s start with a blowout. 

Michael McCleary (17-9)
Hit the road, Jack(et)
Syracuse 81, Georgia Tech 65

Remember that game earlier in the year when Syracuse played Georgia Tech? Yeah, that was a good one for SU. The Orange can perhaps use a few more good ones if they want to keep their tournament hopes alive. Maybe that’s not even enough, but it’s a start at the very least. Syracuse is a better team than Georgia Tech. And this is when the Orange will need to start a run that ends perhaps in the finals of the ACC Tournament. Simply to have a chance.

Josh Schafer (18-8)
Taking the sting away
Syracuse 86, Georgia Tech 67

Syracuse has struggled over the last month but that won’t continue Saturday. Syracuse lit up Georgia Tech earlier this year behind a strong performance from Hughes to start the game following a bad stretch for the Orange. Maybe it won’t be Hughes on Saturday, perhaps it’s Buddy Boeheim or Joe Girard III but someone will come out firing and take advantage of a lesser Georgia Tech team.

Published on February 22, 2020 at 7:54 am