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Syracuse is set for its first true road test of the year Tuesday, taking on No. 3 Tennessee. The Orange have only played two games outside the JMA Wireless Dome, but both came in Brooklyn, New York, where there was a heavy Syracuse contingent.

The Orange are coming off their first double-digit win of the season when they defeated Cornell 82-72. Though, it was less than convincing. SU led by four with just over two minutes left, but a 9-3 run propelled it to victory. Now comes its biggest test of the year.

Tennessee has made six straight NCAA Tournaments under head coach Rick Barnes. The Volunteers are a perennial top-25 team every season, and this year, they’re off to a strong start. They’re No. 2, according to KenPom, and No. 1 based on the NET rankings, meaning Syracuse is in for a big challenge in Knoxville.

Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (4-2, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) will fare against Tennessee (7-0, 0-0 Southeastern Conference):

Zak Wolf (6-0)
Roll Rocky Top
Syracuse 60, Tennessee 83

This game could get ugly; there’s no two ways about it. Despite Tennessee playing stiff competition, it’s yet to suffer a loss this season. The Volunteers blew out Louisville and Virginia by 22 points. They also handily beat then-No. 13 Baylor by 15. To put it simply, Tennessee is one of the best teams in the country, and Syracuse is not.

It also doesn’t help that this is Syracuse’s first true road game of the year. I don’t think the Orange are prepared to play in a hostile environment in Knoxville. Barnes’ teams are known for their physicality and stout defenses, which is no different this season. The Vols have the second-best defensive efficiency in the country, allowing 88.7 points per 100 possessions and the second-best effective field percentage at 40.1%.

If Syracuse continues its trend of starting slow, Tennessee isn’t going to think twice about putting the Orange away early. Even if Syracuse does show a sense of urgency from the jump — which I doubt will happen — Tennessee will be too much to handle. The Vols have the coaching advantage and a major talent advantage. When you put those together, it often leads to blowouts, which I think will be the case Tuesday.

Aiden Stepansky (6-0)
Embarrassment
Syracuse 59, Tennessee 81

Syracuse has stumbled its way into a 4-2 record. The Orange have barely knocked off the teams they were supposed to beat and fallen short against Power Four programs. In the final game before the ACC opener, SU faces likely its hardest opponent of the season and maybe the best team in the country.

Tennessee slotting in at No. 1 in the NET rankings is no joke. The Volunteers defense has been extremely impressive early on, allowing 68 points or less in each of its first seven games. Syracuse has given me absolutely zero reason to believe this trend won’t continue in the SEC/ACC Challenge.

SU may hang around through the first 10 minutes. I could see a lineup change of Elijah Moore in for Jaquan Carlos in hopes of starting out hot shooting, but Adrian Autry will likely stick with Carlos. In the end, it really won’t matter as Tennessee will roll through the Orange to close out the first half and steamroll the second half.

For fans of the Orange, it may be the perfect time to rewatch highlights from their football team’s stunner against Miami, start researching possible bowl locations or even soak in the sights of Joey Spallina and Emma Ward slinging shots into the back of the net. This game will get ugly.

Justin Girshon (6-0)
Oh no
Syracuse 53, Tennessee 79

In the NET rankings released Monday, Tennessee ranked No. 1 while Syracuse ranked No. 177 — the fourth-worst among power conference teams. In short, that says everything about the programs. One, a national contender. The other, fighting for relevance.

It’s clear the Orange have been trying to build chemistry throughout the early going against mostly mid-major teams and at home. But Tuesday will be loud. There will be no room for error. And it’s going to get ugly quickly.

The Volunteers boast arguably the best defense in the country while their new-look offense has been clicking on all cylinders. For SU to have a chance, it will need to get off to a fast start — something it hasn’t done all season. There’s no reason to believe it will.

Once Tennessee takes an early lead, I see it cruising to a wire-to-wire blowout win. With Eddie Lampkin Jr. battling an injury and the Orange lacking much production from Carlos, they’ll need freshmen Donnie Freeman and Moore to step up again. But asking freshmen to perform at a high level in one of the country’s craziest environments against an elite team in their first road game is a tall, tall task.

Published on December 2, 2024 at 11:12 pm