Coming off a thriller against N.C. State on Wednesday, Syracuse (14-9, 6-4 Atlantic Coast) will try to keep its roll going against No. 9 Virginia (17-4, 7-2) in the Carrier Dome on Saturday at noon. The Cavaliers’ 6-2 road record is tops in the ACC, and should give Jim Boeheim plenty to figure out as he stands one win away from unofficially reaching 1,000 in his career.

Here’s what you need to know about UVA.

All-time series: Tied 4-4

Last time they played: The signature win of SU’s Final Four run last year came against the Cavaliers in the Elite Eight. Behind 21 second-half points from Malachi Richardson, helping fuel a 15-0 Orange run late in the game, Syracuse climbed out of a 16-point hole to defeat top-seeded Virginia, 68-62. Boeheim called it one of the best comebacks he’d ever coached in.

Like it’s known to do, UVA’s pack-line defense clamped down on SU’s offense. There was a stretch where the Orange took nearly 14 minutes to get a basket on the first attempt of any possession. Before Richardson came alive in what looked to be the final minutes of Syracuse’s season, SU’s offense funneled primarily on Tyler Roberson putbacks. Coming out of halftime with a 14-point deficit, that’s when everything changed.

The Virginia report: Unsurprisingly, defense is the storyline against the Cavaliers. UVA’s 53.4 points allowed per game is the lowest in the conference. There aren’t many cracks in the pack-line defense, which seals off the paint and low post, keeping Virginia defenders in optimal rebound spots on the floor. The only real hit against the Cavaliers’ defense came in an 88-76 loss to Pitt on Jan. 4, when the Panthers outrebounded UVA by 18 and drove the paint much easier than the pack-line typically allows.

Virginia has recently deployed a four-guard lineup composed of Marial Shayok, Devon Hall, London Perrantes and a combination of Kyle Guy or Ty Jerome. That lineup, while shorter than UVA’s other permutations, gives the Cavaliers an uptick offensively. That was exhibited in Virginia’s 71-48 win over Virginia Tech on Wednesday, when Hall went for a career-high 17 points, and forward Isaiah Wilkins pitched in a career-high 15. Expect UVA to dispatch its four-guard lineups to toy with the Orange’s defense.

How Syracuse beats Virginia: A good start for SU would be to replicate the defense it initially played against Florida State last weekend. FSU’s Jonathan Isaac and Dwayne Bacon, two future NBA Draft picks, were limited to nine points combined on 4-of-11 shooting in what Boeheim called “the best first half we’ve had in a long time.”

With the pack-line defense, Syracuse is going to have significantly more shot opportunities around the arc than in the paint. Andrew White, John Gillon and Tyler Lydon will need to be sharp from deep, and expect that trio to shoulder most of the offense against the Cavaliers. If Taurean Thompson can create space occasionally in the high post to lean on his reliable mid-range game, that will only help. But have no doubt: Syracuse will have its hands full on Saturday.

Stat to know: 49.5 percent — Fortifying Virginia’s lockdown defense is an offensive game that’s been the most consistent in conference play. The Cavaliers 49.5 percent clip from the field is the highest figure of any ACC team. UVA’s shooting percentage is the highest it’s been since posting a 50.1 percent mark in the 1985-86 season.

Player to watch: London Perrantes, No. 32, guard

Perrantes has been a mainstay in the Cavaliers’ lineup for four years now. His 12 points per game is a team-high, but specific to facing Syracuse on Saturday, he’s one of the best 3-point shooters in the ACC. The 6-foot-2 senior’s 52.3 percent clip from 3 is second-highest in conference play, and his 2.56 3s per game is top 10 in the ACC. Given how porous SU’s 3-point defense since the end of non-conference play, Perrantes could big up big numbers in the Carrier Dome.

Published on February 4, 2017 at 10:35 am

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