Syracuse vs. Boston College NCAAM Preview and Odds

Syracuse is back from the holiday break for an ACC matchup against Boston College that sees the Orange as heavy favorites in the odds.

The Orange (8-5, 1-1 ACC) come into this matchup having won nine of their last 10 against the Eagles (7-6, 1-1 ACC). Syracuse had a five-game winning streak snapped in their last game, which was an 84-82 loss to Pittsburgh that saw a furious Orange comeback fall short. BC, meanwhile, is coming off a win over a ranked Virginia Tech team, 70-65 in overtime.

The Orange have already lost three games in the JMA Wireless Dome this year. They will be looking to avoid a fourth on New Year’s Eve for the 2 p.m. tip with Boston College.

Both teams are keeping opposing offenses in the 60s, but Syracuse has an advantage on the offensive end. The Eagles are averaging just 64 points per game. Syracuse, meanwhile, is scoring 75 points per contest.

Over their last five games, the Orange have been even more prolific on the scoring end. They’ve been above their season average in all five games and put up at least 82 in four of those contests.

BC has broken the 70-point mark just twice in their last two games, and it took overtime in both of those contests for them to do so.

Syracuse has had a shaky defense all season, so the team is hoping that 11 days off and a matchup against a weak offensive team could get Jim Boeheim’s defense back on track going into the heart of the ACC schedule.

Typically, the Orange’s zone defense is susceptible to the 3-point shot, and Pittsburgh took advantage of that. But the Eagles connect on just 26.6 of their shots from long distance.

After a shaky start to his freshman season that included an ejection in an eventual loss against Bryant, freshman point guard Judah Mintz has turned things around to lead the team with 15.6 points per game and four assists per contest.

Looking at Syracuse’s schedule, there are chances for ACC wins today and Tuesday at a struggling Louisville team before the Orange take on the likes of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Miami, and North Carolina later in January.

If they are unable to win today and erase the bad taste from a November that saw them start 3-4, it could be a long winter in snowy Syracuse.

Here are the odds for the New Year’s Eve contest, courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.

Not only do the Orange have an eight-game winning streak against the Eagles, they have won nine of their last 10 and covered in eight of those 10 matchups.

We favor the Orange to win and cover in this matchup to close 2022 on a high note. Prediction: Syracuse 76, Boston College 64.