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Syracuse picked up its second straight win Saturday, edging out Notre Dame 88-85 at the JMA Wireless Dome, where the Orange boast a 13-2 record.

SU jumped out a 29-point lead but a 9-0 run from the Fighting Irish, highlighted by a Julian Roper II 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer, foreshadowed the 3-point onslaught Notre Dame used to get back into the game.

Led by Markus Burton’s game-high 28 points and Braeden Shrewsberry’s six second-half 3-pointers, ND climbed back to cut the deficit to 3. With one more chance to tie the game, it missed, allowing Syracuse to secure the win.

The Orange now welcome Virginia Tech in SU’s final regular-season home game. Here’s everything to know about VT (15-12, 7-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) before it takes on Syracuse (18-10, 9-8 ACC):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 12-7.

Last time they played…

Virginia Tech defeated Syracuse 85-70 behind 52 first-half points against the Orange on Jan. 28, 2023. The Hokies drained 11 3-pointers in the opening period, the second-most 3-pointers Syracuse conceded in a first half in 2022-23. It was also the most points a team scored on SU in the first half.

The first-half onslaught created too much of a hole for Syracuse to get out of, though it managed to limit the deep shots with a second-half full-court press. Judah Mintz led the way for the Orange with 21 points, but the Hokies held Joe Girard III to just seven points on the night.

“Our defense was just not able to do anything in the first half to contain them,” said former Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. “We were too far behind at halftime, basically.”

KenPom odds

Syracuse has a 51% to win, with a projected score of 77-76.

The Hokies report

Virginia Tech sits in the middle of the pack in the ACC, winning just two of its last four games, including a 34-point win over Virginia at home. But on the road, the Hokies have won just one game — a 84-78 victory at NC State over a month ago.

The Hokies are a top-100 team, per KenPom, from both the 3-point line and inside the arc. Virginia Tech’s go-to guy is Sean Pedulla, who is the only player utilized on more than 28% of possessions, per KenPom, and is also the team’s leading scorer with nearly 16 points per game.

Pedulla has scored in double-figures in six of his last seven outings, including 26 against in a 15-point loss to Pittsburgh. The Hokies also complement Pedulla with players like Hunter Cattoor and Tyler Nickel, who have both made close to 50 3-pointers this season.

Bridget Overby | Presentation Director

How Syracuse beats Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech isn’t the most aggressive team, sitting in the bottom-three of the ACC in both steals and blocks per game. Syracuse can win this game by driving into the lane, which is how it managed to get crucial buckets as Notre Dame started to come back.

On the perimeter, Virginia Tech limits opponents to under 34% from the field. Syracuse has been hit or miss from beyond the arc, though it performs better on its home floor. Continued contributions from Chris Bell and Justin Taylor can help reduce the weight of play on Mintz and J.J. Starling.

The Orange returned Peter Carey briefly into the lineup, which will help keep Maliq Brown out of foul trouble. Virginia Tech has attempted a middling 508 free throws, which means Brown and Quadir Copeland will need to play physical defense without getting into foul trouble.

Stat to know: 25.3%

The key for Syracuse throughout the season has been winning the rebounding battle. It kept it close in the upset over North Carolina, but struggled in the defeat to Georgia Tech the next time out. Virginia Tech struggles on the offensive glass with just a 25.3% offensive rebounding rate, per KenPom.

Syracuse isn’t the strongest rebounding team, nor are the Hokies. But Virginia Tech limits its opponents to the second-lowest rebounds per game in the ACC (32). SU can win this game on the defensive glass by limiting VT to one-and-done possessions.

Player to watch: Lynn Kidd, center, No. 15

Kidd is the most effective scoring option for the Hokies, making nearly 65% of his shots. He’s started all 27 games for Virginia Tech, and has scored double-figures in seven of his last 10 games. Down low, he’ll matchup with Brown and Carey, attempting to force them into foul trouble. Kidd is an 88% free throw shooter and he’s also the team’s best rebounder, corralling over six rebounds per game.

Published on February 26, 2024 at 10:57 pm

Contact Cole: colebambini@gmail.com | @ColeBambini