Eight-seeded Syracuse (18-13, 10-8 Atlantic Coast) is slated to play against ninth-seeded Miami (20-10, 10-8) on Wednesday at noon. SU played one game this year at Barclays Center, which it lost to South Carolina in late November.

Here’s how The Daily Orange beat writers think the game will unfold.

Connor Grossman (18-13)
Category 5 Bubble Status
Miami 73, Syracuse 68

Credit Syracuse for knocking off a Miami team that’s only gotten better as the season’s gone on. The Hurricanes own upsets over UNC, Virginia and Duke since losing to the Orange in January, and will flip the script against SU on Wednesday. With one of the best defenses in the ACC, Miami might not have to do much more than to shut down Andrew White a la Duke and Louisville. White included, everything about Syracuse is a tossup outside the Carrier Dome. Expect a nerve-wracking Selection Sunday after another early exit in the ACC tournament.

Matt Schneidman (14-17)
Signed, sealed, delivered
Syracuse 74, Miami 68

The Orange needs a win against the Hurricanes to lock up a spot in the NCAA Tournament, in my opinion. Right now I’d put them at about 65 percent in. Bruce Brown and Davon Reed have flown under the radar as threats in the ACC, but Syracuse gets just enough from a red-hot Andrew White and the often consistent Tyus Battle. SU may not stand a chance against No. 1-seed North Carolina, but it doesn’t matter after simply reaching the tournament quarterfinals.

Paul Schwedelson (19-12)
Blustery conditions
Miami 67, Syracuse 66

I can’t pretend to estimate what percentage chance Syracuse has of making the Tournament. A loss against Miami though will make for a sweaty Selection Sunday for SU fans. The Orange hasn’t made anything easy on itself all season and it’s hard to think that’ll change. Syracuse has faced four opponents twice this year and didn’t sweep any of them. It’s tough to beat a team twice and the Hurricanes settled into a nice groove in the second half of conference play, knocking off North Carolina, Duke and Virginia. The weather in Syracuse recently has been all sorts of ridiculous and the Orange’s forecast is even murkier.

Published on March 7, 2017 at 9:45 pm