The Syracuse Men’s Basketball team is on a three-game win streak. Wednesday night, the Orange defeat Cornell in the Battle of the Boeheim’s Three. This weekend, Bucknell comes to the Dome. The Bisons are currently 2-3 with their most recent loss coming in a game against Penn State.
Sophomore Jalen Carey is undergoing thumb surgery which opens up the door for freshman Joe Girard. Girard had already been named the starter and started against both Seattle and Cornell, but now he can do so without Carey breathing down his neck. Girard started off hot with 24 points in his first game as a starter. Against the Big Red, he came back to earth with only nine points. Look for him to bounce back against Bucknell. When the Bisons faced the Nittany Lions, they allowed 12 points to guard Myles Dread. Canisius guard Malik Johnson lead the Golden Griffins to victory over Bucknell with 27 points. This game will definitely build off the foundation Girard has laid down.
A player who can have a breakout performance this weekend is freshman Quincy Guerrier. Guerrier has been on the rise the last two games, recording double digits in both. In the game against PSU, the Bisons allowed forward Mike Watkins score almost 20 points. Guerrier has increased his presence on the court and he will continue to develop in this matchup.
Bucknell has kept games close this season. Only one of their games have been separated by more than five points and that came from Penn State on Tuesday. The Bisons are 2-2 when the game is within five points. When the score difference is less than three they are undefeated. In the game against Cornell on Wednesday, SU struggled to pull away until the second half. At half time, the Big Red were only down by one. This was a game that the Orange were expected to win handedly. The result of the game was a 19-
point victory. This matchup will be very similar to the game against Cornell. The Bisons will keep it close early and the Cuse will start slow but the should come out victorious.
Jim Boeheim’s squad has done an effective job at keeping the opposing team from scoring points. In every game, except the game against Seattle, Syracuse has kept their opponents under 55 points. To start the season, they faced the reigning national champions and held them under 50 point, which was overlooked after the Orange meager offensive performance. The Bisons score 73 points per game. On the other end, SU scores under 70 but the defense will help keep Bucknell quiet and give opportunities to the Cuse exploded offensive.
Be sure to tune in to WAER at 11:30 for Countdown to Tipoff on 88.3.
These two teams have faced each other eight times. Syracuse has only lost one of those games and score an average of 90 points in the matchup history. This season’s game will probably have a very similar result. How they get there will be interesting to watch. Expect less than 90 points to be scored, but expect a clear victory.