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Following an abysmal performance at UNC, Syracuse responded with a gritty win at Pittsburgh, to sweep the season series and pick up a then-Quad 1 win, which has since been downgraded to a Quad 2 win.

Syracuse made 10 3-pointers, all of which were assisted, to get past the Panthers. The Orange shot nearly 60% from beyond the arc and were led by J.J. Starling, who had a game-high 17 points. Head coach Adrian Autry said the outing was Starling’s best game in a Syracuse uniform.

Now, Miami makes the trip to the JMA Wireless Dome, following an 84-75 loss to Florida State. Of note, the Orange will be without Naheem McLeod for the remainder of the season after having surgery on his right foot.

Here’s everything to know about the Hurricanes (12-5, 3-3 ACC) before they take on Syracuse (12-5, 3-3 ACC):

All stats are through Jan. 16 — before Miami’s loss to Florida State on Jan. 17.

All-time series

Syracuse leads 19-12.

Last time they played…

Syracuse held a second-half, 11-point lead on the road in Coral Gables last season before faltering in the final frame and losing 82-78. The Orange held the advantage until Harlond Beverly’s fast-break dunk with 3:46 remaining gave the Hurricanes a 71-70 lead.

Jesse Edwards had a then-career-high 25 points while Joseph Girard III added 21 for Syracuse. Miami had four double-digit scorers as it ended the Orange’s two-game winning streak. Miami also maintained a then-perfect record at home, which is what the Orange have on the line Saturday.

“Joe and Jesse really were good, they did everything you could do to try and win this game,” former head coach Jim Boeheim said postgame. “That was the difference, we just couldn’t get a rebound.”

KenPom odds

Syracuse has a 55% chance to win, with a projected score of 78-77.

Cole Ross | Digital Design Editor

The Hurricanes report

Boasting a top-35 adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom, Miami is one the highest-scoring teams in the conference, averaging 83.2 points per game. The Hurricanes, who sit in seventh-place in the conference, are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country. They convert at a 40.7% clip from deep, led by the conference’s best 3-point shooter, Wooga Poplar.

Miami’s best conference win came against Clemson at home with a 95-82 victory. It also has wins over Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, but lost winnable games to Louisville and Wake Forest. Miami dishes the ball around well with four players averaging double-digit points.

The Orange’s victory over Pitt came off a strong performance from beyond the arc, but defensively, the Hurricanes guard the perimeter well, limiting opponents to 48.9% from the field. Miami is a guard-heavy team, with only four players listed as forwards or centers on the roster.

How Syracuse beats Miami

Syracuse matches up well with Miami despite the lack of depth in the frontcourt because of McLeod’s season-ending injury. The Orange can win this game inside, targeting Maliq Brown and Judah Mintz driving to the basket.

The Hurricanes are very disciplined, allowing the fewest number of free throw attempts in the conference, but Syracuse has to get inside, especially if the perimeter shots aren’t falling. This game will be a good test for perimeter players like Justin Taylor and Chris Bell as the Miami guard-heavy lineup will put pressure on the wings.

Stat to know: 40.7%

The key to this game lies in the Orange’s ability to guard the 3. The Hurricanes score 34.3% of its points per game from beyond the arc, at a 40.7% rate. Miami ranks second in the conference and fifth nationally in 3-point shooting. In a five-game stretch from Dec. 21 to Jan. 10, the Hurricanes scored at least 10 3-pointers, including a season-high 15 against Stonehill. Five different players have made at least 20 3-pointers this season and Nijel Pack, Kyshawn George, Matthew Cleveland and Poplar make over 40% of their attempts from deep.

Player to watch: Norchad Omier, forward, No. 15

As the Canes’ season-leading scorer and rebounder, Omier is the go-to option in the front court for Miami. In a stretch of four games from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3, he scored over 20 points, including 23 in the win over Clemson. In his second year with the program after transferring from Arkansas State, Omier is seeing increased numbers. Last year versus the Orange, he tied Beverly for a team-high 16 points in 34 minutes of play.

Published on January 17, 2024 at 11:18 pm

Contact Cole: colebambini@gmail.com | @ColeBambini