Phil D’Abbraccio (6-1): Syracuse, 67, St. John’s 53
Long johns
Syracuse’s defense is too lanky for this guard-filled St. John’s lineup. SU’s defense clamps down easily thanks to a notable size advantage and its offense builds on its encouraging performance at Michigan. Trevor Cooney found his touch from outside Tuesday night and extends that momentum. And whatever Syracuse shots don’t go in are pretty likely to find the hands of the bigger Orange players, anyway.

Jesse Dougherty (6-1): Syracuse 66, St. John’s 60
Orange is the new red
The next installment of the battle to be New York’s college… just forget it. Syracuse has relied on its bigs to score for most of the early season, and St. John’s center Chris Obekpa is pretty neutralizing on the defensive end. But it’s the Orange’s guards — yes, Kaleb Joseph and Trevor Cooney — that push the hosts ahead of the Red Storm. A few days after losing to a Michigan team that fell to the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Saturday, SU gets back on the winning track in a classic grind-it-out Big East game.

Jacob Klinger (6-1): Syracuse 65, St. John’s 61
New York’s college team
Ha. Sorry. On a less laughable, but happier note for Syracuse fans, the Orange enjoys a massive size advantage over this guard-heavy Red Storm team. St. John’s plays to SU’s strengths by stepping onto the court in that respect. There is a real chance that SJU beats Syracuse at its own game with the expanded backcourt. But the Orange’s guards came to life against Michigan. And well, size matters.