Previewing Syracuse’s ACC Tournament Championship matchup with Duke
John Mullen will look to carry his dominance at the faceoff X against Notre Dame into Syracuse's ACC Tournament Championship matchup with Duke. Ike Wood | Asst. Photo Editor
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — No. 4 Seed Syracuse snapped its three-game losing streak at the opportune time, defeating No. 1 Seed Notre Dame 14-12 in the Atlantic Coast Conference semifinals Friday.
Goalie Jimmy McCool propelled the Orange to victory with a career-high 20 saves, and faceoff man John Mullen went 21-for-26 at the X. Once the game had become a farce, SU held the Fighting Irish to 0-4 on man-up opportunities before they scored two in the final 30 seconds.
The win was SU’s first at the ACC Tournament since 2016, setting up a championship matchup with No. 3 seed Duke Sunday. The Blue Devils destroyed No. 2 seed North Carolina 14-7 Friday, and jumped out to a 12-1 lead early in the third quarter before going into cruise control for the rest of the matchup.
The Blue Devils got the better of Syracuse, 11-7, on April 19, but SU will be looking for its first ACC Tournament title since 2016, when it defeated Duke 14-8 in the final.
Here’s everything to know about No. 3 Seed Duke (12-4, 2-2 ACC) before its matchup with No. 4 Seed Syracuse (10-5, 2-2 ACC) in the ACC Tournament Championship Sunday:
All-time Series
Syracuse leads 15-11.
Last time they played …
When Syracuse traveled to Durham on April 19, its offense didn’t travel with them. The then-No. 7 Orange mustered only seven goals in their 11-7 defeat to the then-No. 12 Blue Devils — the fewest goals they’ve scored in fourth-year head coach Gary Gait’s tenure.
Duke’s Eric Malever mutilated the Orange with a career-high five goals, while SU was outscored 3-0 and 4-0 in the first and third quarters, respectively. A 3-0 Syracuse advantage in the fourth quarter merely salvaged the optics of the scoreline. Moreover, the Orange totaled a season-high 18 turnovers in the defeat, as the Blue Devils turned a strength into a weakness.
The Blue Devils Report
When Duke entered its contest with Syracuse on April 19, it was winless in ACC play. It’d fallen 14-7 at Notre Dame and dropped an 8-7 nailbiter to North Carolina. Its postseason and ACC Tournament prospects looked dim. But, starting with that win against the Orange, the Blue Devils have won their last three games — all versus ACC opponents.
On April 26, Duke beat Virginia for the 20th straight time in the regular season, capitalizing on a costly Cavalier turnover to escape 10-9 in overtime via a Benn Johnston goal. The loser of the matchup missed the ACC Tournament, but Duke won and even earned the No. 3 seed following SU’s loss to North Carolina due to the head-to-head tiebreaker.
In its first game of the conference tournament, a rematch of the one-goal game earlier in the season, Duke pasted the Tar Heels. Fourteen of the Blue Devils’ 22 shots on target found the back of the net, as it was afforded ample time and space to shoot. As a result, eight different players got on the scoresheet and five players notched two-plus scores. It was the most goals Duke had scored in a game since March 12, when it defeated Providence 16-10.
The Blue Devils possessed a fearsome attack last season. They were headlined by Brennan O’Neill, Josh Zawada and Dyson Williams, who were all drafted into Premier League Lacrosse. The trio combined for 224 points in 2024, making up 51.8% of the team’s points. Yet, Duke has maintained offensive viability via the diminutive yet deadly Andrew McAdorey and Maryland transfer Malever.
Though defense is where the squad truly excels. Duke held North Carolina’s high-octane offense to one goal until the final minute of the third quarter Friday. Its backline is tightening the screws at the right time. The Blue Devils haven’t allowed over nine goals in any of their last five games.
How Syracuse beats Duke
McCool was excellent Friday. If he can carry a similarly stifling display against Duke, and Syracuse’s backline is again locked in on its assignments, SU has a good chance to limit the Blue Devils.
On the other end, attack Owen Hiltz credited ball movement for the Orange’s offense scoring its most goals in four games Friday. If the ball doesn’t stick and Syracuse’s passing is clean, it should have enough opportunities to unlock Duke’s backline.
It all comes together at the faceoff X, though, for Syracuse, where it should have a significant advantage. Mullen seemed at home at American Legion Memorial Stadium, while, despite Duke’s win, none of its three faceoff men found sustained success. More Orange possessions could tire out Duke, which is on two days rest despite winning at a canter versus the Tar Heels.
Stat to Know: .831
Another Duke weak point rife for the Orange to expose is its .834 clearing percentage, which is 56th of 74 Division I teams. Though the Blue Devils’ clearing has improved recently, it went 22-for-25 against UNC Friday, 23-for-27 at Virginia and 24-for-26 versus Syracuse. On the other hand, SU’s clearing percentage has dropped from among the top in the nation to 39th-best at .858, caused by a woeful 10-of-17 clip against North Carolina April 26.
Player to Watch: Tomas Delgado, midifielder, No. 7
In Tomas Delgado’s first 12 games of the 2025 season, he didn’t score any goals. But in the midfielder’s last two contests, he’s logged a combined five tallies, including a team-high three versus North Carolina Friday in his first start of the campaign.
At 5-foot-11, Delgado has a blistering shot and admirable footwork to shake off defenders. He was the No. 10 ranked recruit in the 2023 class and comes from a lacrosse family. His older brother, A.J., is a graduate student midfielder for the Blue Devils and his brother Lucas plays lacrosse at Michigan.
