Syracuse and Miami are trending in opposite directions heading into Saturday’s Atlantic Coast Conference contest in Syracuse, N.Y.
The Orange and Hurricanes share identical 12-5 overall records and 3-3 marks in the ACC. However, Syracuse has the momentum of seven wins in its last nine games, while the Hurricanes have lost three of their last four outings.
Syracuse is coming off a 69-58 road win Tuesday against Pittsburgh in which JJ Starling scored 17 points and Judah Mintz chipped in 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
The Orange shot 10 of 17 from 3-point range and limited the Panthers to 5-of-26 3-point shooting in a bounce-back effort following a 36-point road loss to then-No. 7 North Carolina last weekend.
“I was proud of this team with the way they bounced back after the North Carolina game,” Orange coach Adrian Autry said. “It’s always hard to play on the road, and then when you play a game like that and you lose like that, to be able to turn around and bounce back and come into a place like this against a good Pitt team and get a win, that speaks volumes about these guys’ character.”
Miami’s character will be tested after a rough stretch in which they have given up at least 80 points in four of the last five games. The Hurricanes fell to Florida State 84-75 on Wednesday as the Seminoles shot 48.5 percent from the field and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds.
Norchad Omier was a bright spot for Miami with 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Nijel Pack scored a game-high 19 points. Matthew Cleveland was held to two points on 1-for-8 shooting.
“I’m not going to worry too much about Matthew Cleveland,” Jim Larranaga said of his talented junior guard, who is averaging 15.5 points on 54.2 percent shooting. “I’m sure he will be fine.”
Omier had 16 points and 16 boards in last season’s only matchup with Syracuse — an 82-78 victory by Miami on Jan. 16, 2023 in Coral Gables, Fla.
–Field Level Media
