Syracuse University and Duke University will square off Saturday night for one of the most anticipated basketball games in SU history at the Carrier Dome. ESPN will be on hand, including the College GameDay crew.

Jay Bilas, a college basketball analyst for ESPN, will be in attendance to break down the matchup on College Gameday. Bilas, who played basketball at Duke in the 80’s, shared his thoughts on the Orange and the Blue Devils, and what he expects come tip off.

The Daily Orange: There are so many storylines coming into this game, is there anything in particular about the matchup that jumps out to you?

Bilas: I think the wings of Duke are going to be a challenge for Syracuse because one of the things that’s most debilitating to any zone, Syracuse’s included, is dribble penetration. Duke does a good job of getting into the gaps of a zone on the bounce and they’ve got some good shooters. They’ve been doing a better job getting offensive rebounds of late. They’ve got guys who can make a play so you’ve got to guard them.

The D.O.: Are there any specific weaknesses for either team to attack?

Bilas: You have to attack the lane with Duke. They’re improving defensively but it’s still not a great defensive team. I think you can rebound on them — they’re not a great rebounding team. I think it’s going to be where rebounding and Syracuse’s ability to protect the paint is going to be an important factor.

The D.O.: Will the focus of the game be on freshmen or will it come down to other guys?

Bilas: It’s always going to come down to other guys. Ennis has been an important factor. He’s probably been the freshman who’s played best and been most consistent all season long. But he’s got a lot of older players around him, and that’s been helpful. We’ll focus on Ennis and [Jabari] Parker because they’re really good players. But it might come down to a guy like Jerami Grant who’s played great. Or C.J. Fair who’s probably the best senior on the floor.

The D.O.: There’s a level of familiarity between Jim Boeheim and Mike Krzyzewski. Will that play any role in the game?

Bilas: They know each other and know each other’s tendencies as coaches, but I think they’ll have their players prepared for the game and just coach and deal with the game as it comes. But they are great friends and that’s a really nice thing. They’re the two guys who have been at it at the highest level the longest and are still at it. They’ve both been great on the court and off and been great for USA Basketball.

The D.O.: Are you surprised by Syracuse’s success during its first year in the ACC?

Bilas: I’m not surprised, I thought they’d be one of the top three teams in the ACC. I didn’t expect this team being undefeated to this point. They’ve had a lot of key moments like Ennis’ drives against Pittsburgh. They’ve been down in games and tied like against Miami and have been really impressive down the stretch of games.

The D.O.: Do you think SU vs. Duke is a matchup of the top two ACC teams?

Bilas: I think Pittsburgh has been better (than Duke). I think Duke is really good and is getting better but I think Pittsburgh has been the second best team in the ACC and could get even better.

The D.O.: What kind of atmosphere are you expecting at the Dome, and what role does that play in the game?

Bilas: It’s always a great atmosphere there. It’s one of the great venues in college basketball. I know it’ll be great, and it’ll be loud and it’ll be hard to deal with for any opponent. You’ll have over 30,000 people, so it’ll be a terrific place. That’s always one of my favorite places to go.

Published on January 28, 2014 at 1:44 am

Contact Brett: blsamuel@syr.edu | @Brett_Samuels27