Syracuse tips off its second game in Paradise Island, Bahamas at 3:30 p.m. against Connecticut on Thursday. The Huskies beat Michigan on Wednesday, 74-60.

Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse will fare against UConn in the Orange’s fifth game this season.

Sam Blum (4-0)
Connecticut 78, Syracuse 59
Submerged

Atlantis is a land that is long considered to be lost at sea. Though Syracuse found its way through the trenches of the Battle’s first round, a matchup with No. 18 UConn will leave the Orange as isolated as the location it’s playing in. Syracuse’s big men get their first real test, and a Connecticut team that has Top-10 potential is just flat out better.

Jesse Dougherty (4-0)
Connecticut 68, Syracuse 59
Needs more salt

Syracuse hasn’t seen a team this quick or this talented, and the No. 18 Huskies make the Orange wish it had a few more cupcakes before facing tough opponents. SU has trouble getting inside against UConn and, in turn, Syracuse mostly takes contested 3s. The Orange doesn’t get to eat any pie this Thanksgiving, but it is offered a slice of reality. And it doesn’t taste all that good.

Matt Schneidman (4-0)
Syracuse 71, Connecticut 66
Humble pie

A UConn team coming off a convincing win over Michigan gets brought down to earth in an upset. Seven-footer Amidah Brimah and Daniel Hamilton get their share of rebounds down low, but a hot-shooting Syracuse team does enough to stretch the Huskies out and advance to the Battle 4 Atlantis finals courtesy of the deep ball.

Published on November 26, 2015 at 1:00 pm