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As quickly as Syracuse built its two-game win streak, the Orange lost it Tuesday with a 24-point loss to Louisville. SU was completely dominated by the Cardinals. J.J. Starling scored a season-low four points on 1-of-7 shooting and turned the ball over a season-high six times.

SU’s guards combined to score just 16 points, while Louisville’s stole the show. Chucky Hepburn poured in 24 points with six 3s, while the rest of the Cardinals’ guards in the starting lineup finished in double figures. Syracuse trailed by 16 at halftime, and its smallest deficit was 14 after the break, eventually leading to the blowout.

Next up for Syracuse is its second meeting with Notre Dame. The Orange and the Fighting Irish boast identical overall and conference records. ND recently broke a four-game losing streak, defeating Boston College by 18 points.

Here’s everything to know about Notre Dame (8-9, 2-4 Atlantic Coast) before it takes on Syracuse (8-9, 2-4 Atlantic Coast):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 34-23.

Last time they played …

Earlier this season, Notre Dame and Syracuse met in both squads’ ACC opener. Both teams were without its leading scorer, Starling for SU and Markus Burton for ND. The Fighting Irish came out on top 69-64, part of a stretch where Syracuse lost four of five games. The game was tied at 60 with 3:38 remaining before Braeden Shrewsberry drilled one of his six 3-pointers to give Notre Dame the lead for good.

Notre Dame hit eight 3s while Syracuse went 0-for-9 from deep. It was the first time SU didn’t hit a triple since 2014. The Orange were led by Donnie Freeman and Jyáre Davis. The duo combined for 40 points on 14-of-22 shooting, but no other player reached double figures, leading to the defeat.

KenPom Odds

Syracuse has a 43% chance to win, with a projected score of 76-74.

The Fighting Irish Report

Like many teams in the ACC, Notre Dame’s season has been a mixed bag. The Fighting Irish started off winning four straight but then dropped their next five prior to their win against Syracuse. That was followed by four straight ACC losses, two of which were by one point. A last-second four-point play from Elliot Cadeau downed them against UNC on Jan. 4, and a free throw by NC State’s Ben Middlebrooks four days later gave ND two heartbreakers in a row.

However, in their second season under Micah Shrewsberry, the Fighting Irish are much better than their record indicates. Four of their five leading scores this year are returners, with Princeton transfer Matt Allocco coming into the fold. Braeden (14.9 points per game) and Burton (19 points per game) form a potent backcourt, while Tae Davis provides versatility down low. Tae’s nearly doubled his scoring average as a junior, going from 9.2 points per game to 16.7, while shooting over 50% from the field.

Cole Ross | Digital Design Director

How Syracuse beats Notre Dame

Syracuse needs to defend the 3-point line better. It tied a season-high 12 triples allowed against Louisville, and Notre Dame is just as potent from beyond the arc. ND doesn’t shoot nearly as many 3s as Louisville, attempting 22 per game, but it’s much more efficient. The Fighting Irish knock down 36.8% of their 3s, the 50th-best mark in the nation. Braeden is ND’s most potent threat from distance, hitting the second-most 3s in the conference (48) at the fourth-highest rate (36.6%).

Starling can’t have the game he did last time out if Syracuse wants to have any shot at winning. SU’s leading scorer was bottled up by Hepburn, leading to his worst performance of the season. It’s been pretty obvious Starling is the catalyst for the Orange. They’ll go as far as he can take them. In Syracuse’s first meeting against ND, Starling didn’t play, leading to a then-season-low 60 points. He could be the difference this time around.

Stat to know: 6.4%

Syracuse isn’t generating many steals through its defense. It steals the ball on just 6.4% of its opponent’s possessions, the 355th-worst mark in the nation. Only nine teams in all of Division I produce steals at a lower rate. The most Syracuse has produced in conference play is six, and it currently ranks dead-last in the ACC with 4.65 per game.

Player to watch: Markus Burton, guard, No. 4

Burton didn’t play in the first meeting in December due to a knee injury. The sophomore missed seven games and returned on Jan. 4 against North Carolina, where he scored 23 points in only 23 minutes. Burton hasn’t missed a beat in his four games back, averaging 20 points per game while shooting 39% from 3. He’s created a dangerous backcourt alongside Braeden.

Last season, Burton led all ACC freshmen in scoring (17.5 points per game), placing third in the country for first-year players. His performances garnered him ACC Freshman of the Year honors. This year, albeit in a smaller sample size, Burton’s production has increased with better efficiency. He bumped his scoring average to 19 points and went from being a 30% 3-point shooter to 36.4%.

Published on January 15, 2025 at 9:44 pm

Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22