For months, Saturday’s Syracuse-Duke game was pegged as the christening of an epic rivalry. The Orange’s chance to prove its worth as a new Atlantic Coast Conference member. A chance for Duke fans to come experience the Carrier Dome.

Then both teams started playing basketball. Syracuse won 20 straight games. Duke lost to a Jerian Grant-less Notre Dame and Clemson by double digits.

Now the No. 17 Blue Devils (17-4, 6-2 ACC) are playing to retake their position as an elite team, while the No. 2 Orange (20-0, 7-0) is playing for the best start in program history. Syracuse has become the premier power in its new conference, likely followed by travel buddy No. 18 Pittsburgh.

Major storylines aside, this game has taken on a whole new meaning as the newcomer has become the frontrunner.

“It’s another must-win game for us to secure a top spot in the ACC,” Duke guard Rasheed Sulaimon said. “We know they’re the top of the ACC right now, and we know it’s going to be a hostile environment, a record crowd and everybody’s ready for it.”

It’s possibly the most hyped regular-season game in Syracuse history. It’s motivated SU students to spend as many as 12 nights out in the frigid cold for the best seats. It’s the beginning of a newborn ACC rivalry.

Since falling to Clemson on Jan. 11, Duke has reeled off five straight wins, including an 80-65 win over Pittsburgh on Monday. The slow start has become a distant memory and the Orange is well aware.

“Definitely excited for this game,” sophomore forward Jerami Grant said. “I just want to be ready for it when it comes.”

And if there’s any place Syracuse needs to be ready, it’s on the glass. Grant led the Orange to a plus-20 rebounding performance against the Demon Deacons with 12 boards, matching a season-high.

The Blue Devils’ rebounding margin is three fewer than SU, but freshman forward Jabari Parker has grabbed 40 total rebounds in the last three games.

“We’re going to come out with more intensity even on Saturday and try to rebound even harder,” Grant said.

Freshman point guard Tyler Ennis said the Blue Devils also bring shooting depth the Orange hasn’t faced except maybe against Cornell and Boston College — and the Eagles gave SU arguably its biggest scare all season.

Andre Dawkins, Rodney Hood and Sulaimon all shoot better than 44 percent from 3-point range.

“It’s going to be a really good game,” Ennis said. “It’s going to come down to the end of the game. The winning team is just going to have to make plays.

“Whoever stops the other team offensively is going to win the game. So that’s what we intend to do.”

If the Orange does win, its claim as the top team in the conference will only grow stronger. With a third conference loss, Duke will need to get lucky to have any shot at the regular-season title.

At Syracuse media day, Fair said he had his sights set on taking the ACC title in Syracuse’s first season.

After the team’s 57-45 win over North Carolina on Jan. 11, Fair said the only way the Orange will lose is if it has an off night and another team puts together a balanced offensive effort.

And after the Wake Forest game on Wednesday, Fair said the team’s goal hasn’t wavered.

Said Fair: “It’s our first year and we can make history. Take it one game at a time and we can pull this off.”

Published on January 31, 2014 at 4:35 am

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