Beat writers offer mixed predictions on outcome of Syracuse-Louisville
Syracuse will look for its best win of the year against a Louisville team that is without its starting point guard. Our beat writers offer mixed forecasts on the battle between the Orange and the Cardinals. Spencer Bodian | Staff Photographer
Phil D’Abbraccio (20-5): Louisville 69, Syracuse 62
Not in the Cards
Chris Jones’ suspension gives Syracuse’s backcourt a bit of a break, but SU doesn’t have the depth to offset Louisville’s frontcourt. Montrezl Harrell squares off with a Rakeem Christmas who is coming off his worst showing of the year. The Orange continues to battle through this thick slate of games, but also continues to lose them.
Jesse Dougherty (20-5): Syracuse 58, Louisville 52
Shuffled Deck
It’s hard to say that Syracuse can joust with the No. 12 team in the country at this point of the season, but the announced suspension of the point guard Chris Jones changes a lot of things for Louisville. Jones is the team’s best ball-handler and, along with high-volume scorer Terry Rozier, is one of two guards that see significant minutes for the Cardinals. Without him, Rick Pitino has to reach into an incredibly thin bench and Louisville’s lack of depth — have you heard that term this season, Orange fans? — is the visitors’ down-the-stretch downfall on Wednesday night.
Jacob Klinger (21-4): Louisville 63, Syracuse 57
Cardinals in
Cardinals in, as in in the tournament that Syracuse would likely miss out on even if it weren’t for the postseason ban. So yeah, the Cardinals will be without their best ball-handler, who averages 13.6 points and 3.7 assists in 30.8 minutes per game. And that hurts them. But Louisville is still a press-till-death team that will give Syracuse’s backcourt its toughest test of the season. So for the first time in a long time, it’s foul trouble for the Orange’s guards that puts SU in trouble. And remember, Jim Boeheim said he doesn’t expect points from his bench just a couple days ago. Syracuse can’t win with five.
