Syracuse (10-7, 3-3 Atlantic Coast) looks to build on back-to-back wins with a matchup against Virginia Tech (13-4, 4-2) Saturday at noon in the Cassell Coliseum. After a slow start to the season, the Orange are in need of a win in their second matchup with the Hokies.

Here’s what to know about VT ahead of the matchup.

All-time series: Syracuse leads, 9-5

Last time they played: Virginia Tech beat the Orange 67-63 earlier this season. SU controlled the game for more than 30 minutes, but lost momentum in the final minutes for its second-straight loss to begin conference play.

The Virginia Tech report: Though the Hokies shot poorly against the Orange the last time the two teams played, Virginia Tech is still a constant threat from beyond the arc. Syracuse, due to youth and an overall slow adjustment to its defensive system, has struggled to guard the 3-ball several times this year. That became apparent in the final stretch of the game, when VT’s shots began to fall and the Orange continued to allow the Hokies to fire from long range.

The Hokies also get by with strong defense, and the game remained low-scoring while the Hokies waited for their shooting to emerge. Once it did, VT put the Orange away.

How Syracuse beats the Hokies: Though this has been hard to come by recently, Syracuse needs to start off hot. Even against Boston College — an eventual blowout win — the Orange didn’t begin by shooting well, but the Eagles started off even slower. That won’t be the formula to beat VT, who like the Orange, rely on quick scoring bursts to jump ahead. If Syracuse is the first one to get going offensively and its defense plays similar to the last time, the Orange will have a chance to secure another strong road win.

Stat to know: 37 — The amount of points Virginia Tech scored in the final 12 minutes of its last game against SU. Syracuse scored just 25 points in that same stretch.

KenPom odds: Syracuse has only a 37% chance to win the game, with a projected final score of 69-65 per KenPom.

Player to watch: Wabissa Bede, No. 3, Guard

The Hokies point guard played at the high-post last time against Syracuse, which is a strange spot for a 6-foot-1 guard. It’s easy to see why he’s the team leader in assists, though. He patrolled that spot in Syracuse’s 2-3 zone, the Hokies only source of ball movement around the perimeter. He’s an unbelievable defender too, frequently taking on taller assignments and causing havoc. He’ll be sure to do much of the same against the Orange.

Published on January 17, 2020 at 5:26 pm

Contact Michael: mmcclear@syr.edu | @MikeJMcCleary