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After a comprehensive 92-69 victory over Louisville, Syracuse accomplished something it hasn’t been able to do all season: win three games in a row.

Now, Syracuse heads to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, to try and win its fourth in a row, something the Orange have not done since the 2019-20 season. Syracuse has averaged 91.7 points per game during this win streak as the offense appears to be firing on all cylinders. On the other hand, Boston College has struggled to piece together wins in Atlantic Coast Conference play, having just lost to Virginia.

Here’s what you need to know about Boston College (9-12, 4-7 Atlantic Coast) as Syracuse (12-11, 6-6 ACC) looks to win four straight:

All-time series

Syracuse leads 53-26.

Last time they played

Syracuse and Boston College last met almost exactly a year ago in the Carrier Dome on Feb. 13, 2021. Powered by all five starters scoring in double figures, the Orange inched past BC 75-67. Joe Girard III was SU’s top scorer that night, recording 16 points — all in the first half.

Quincy Guerrier provided a boost to Syracuse on the boards, grabbing nine rebounds and scoring 12 points, setting him one rebound shy of a double-double. Guerrier, along with Marek Dolezaj, also provided clutch free throws at the end of the game to secure the win. The pair combined to shoot 13-for-17, including two each in the final moments of the game.

KenPom odds

KenPom gives Syracuse a 60% chance of winning with a projected score of 75-72.

The Boston College Report

The Eagles are once again one of the bottom dwellers of the ACC. After starting the season at 6-3, Boston College’s season has unraveled with the start of ACC play. The Eagles are 3-9 in their last 12 and haven’t been able to win more than one conference game in a row.
Boston College’s offense is one of the worst in the nation as well as its effective field goal percentage ranks 323rd on KenPom. The Eagles’ two and 3-point field goal percentages also rank outside the top 300, inconsistencies that have resulted in Boston College having the second-worst scoring offense in the ACC during conference play.

How Syracuse beats Boston College

Scoring is probably the simplest way that the Orange will top BC. Simply outshooting and eventually outsourcing opponents is how Syracuse has won three games in a row. Its defense has been solid but not spectacular, with head coach Jim Boeheim saying that his defense must be better in the event that SU doesn’t have a great shooting night.

But the Boston College defense should not be a tough roadblock for Syracuse to pass on Tuesday night. The Eagles’ 3-point shooting defense is ranked 312th on KenPom, while the Orange’s 3-point shooting percentage is ranked 22nd. Syracuse has shot the ball particularly well recently, so that will likely continue against Boston College.

Player to watch: Makai Ashton-Langford, guard, No. 11

Boston College’s offense runs through Ashton-Langford. The guard transferred to the Eagles from Providence in 2020, but before that he played at Brewster Academy, the same place Buddy Boeheim played at before SU. Ashton-Langford played at Brewster during the 2016-17 season but Buddy played the year after, so the two never played together.

After Brewster, Ashton-Langford played two seasons at Providence. He then transferred to Boston College where he has been the focal point of the Eagles offense this season. Ashton-Langford leads the team with 12.7 points per game and 62 assists, while ranking second with 27 steals.

Stat to know: 54.1%

That is Syracuse’s 3-point shooting percentage over the last three games, all wins. Buddy, Girard and Cole Swider have boosted the Orange on this winning streak. Boeheim said that SU won’t always shoot over 50%, but as long as it does, the offense will give the team a chance to win.

Boston College is not very good at defending 3s, ranking 312th in 3-point defense. So, the Orange should have an easy time cruising to a victory as long as the Orange’s trio continue their strong shooting from deep.

Published on February 7, 2022 at 10:14 pm

Contact Gaurav: gshetty@syr.edu