Notre Dame and Syracuse, as the top-two seeds in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, are the only two sides in the 10-team field that won’t have a full week to scout an opponent.

SU is the No. 1 team in the country but No. 2 in the tournament by virtue of the Fighting Irish having a better conference record. The Orange (14-2-1, 5-2-1 ACC) will play the winner of No. 10 North Carolina State (7-6-4, 1-4-3) and No. 7 Duke (8-8-1, 4-4), who play on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Durham, North Carolina.

SU played the Wolfpack to a scoreless draw on Oct. 25 and hasn’t played the Blue Devils yet this season. While playing N.C. State may be more beneficial in terms of scouting, there’s still no explicit preference among the team.

“There’s obviously an advantage for us if we play N.C. State that we know about their team,” SU sophomore Oyvind Alseth said. “We know their strengths and weaknesses but I think it really doesn’t matter for the team.

“I think we’re just happy to play that game and we’re ready to play whoever we’re going to face.”

Even though the Wolfpack battled SU to its only draw on the year, the Orange knows it could be a completely different game if N.C. State was to be the quarterfinal opponent.

“Even though we did play N.C. State, I’m sure it’s not going to be the same matchup if they beat Duke and we were able to play them,” SU midfielder Nick Perea said.

If Duke is the winner on Wednesday, former SU assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Mike Miller will make his first trip back to Syracuse since joining the Blue Devils over the summer.

Miller was previously with SU since head coach Ian McIntyre took over and was integral in bringing in a majority of the current crop that got the Orange to the nation’s top spot on Tuesday. The two teams haven’t come in contact, but McIntyre knows either one won’t be going into a potential matchup blind.

“It’s the beauty of having the chance to watch each other against a lot of quality common opponents,” McIntyre said of scouting Duke. “We’ve watched Duke play several times already this year, as I’m sure they’ve seen us as well.”

Rhynhart doubtful for ACC tournament quarterfinal

Junior forward Noah Rhynhart, who was seen walking with a protective brace on his right knee last week, may not suit up when Syracuse takes the field on Sunday.

He dressed in the team’s puffy jacket, sweatpants and sneakers when SU took on Boston College on Friday and McIntyre said it could be the same this weekend.

“He’s still a little bit away,” McIntyre said of Rhynhart’s chances to play. “He’s not old and slow like me, so he’s a fast healer. He was moving around pretty well today, so we’ll see.”

The head coach added that it certainly helps that SU has prolonged its season and earned a top seed in order to give Rhynhart several extra days of rest. While he is a couple weeks into his original 3–4 week healing timeframe, McIntyre said, he’s still working back.

“You guys have the cliche. What is it, day-to-day?” McIntyre asked the group of reporters around him. “Is that what we’re supposed to say?”

Rhynhart has only tallied one goal and one assist this year, but has been a spark plug up top as one of the Orange’s fastest players and one that is at the front of a deep bench.

But that depth may take a slight hit as ACC tournament play begins.

Said McIntyre of Rhynhart’s chances to play: “I think it would be a challenge for him.”

Published on November 5, 2014 at 12:05 am

Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman