Colgate vs Syracuse: 2021-22 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
Colgate is looking for another shot at a victory over an ACC program. Will they be able to beat the Syracuse Orange this weekend?
TV schedule: Saturday, November 20, 5:00 pm ET. ACC Network/ESPN+
Arena: Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York
The ACC has been struggling so far in 2021-22 non-conference play, with many teams not only unable to get big wins but also taking unexpected losses in “buy games”. Syracuse has avoided those issues so far in its 2-0 start, beating both Lafayette and Drexel to open the season. Both had their struggles in the first half for the Orange, trailing at some point before second-half blitzes gave them double-digit victories.
In Sunday’s 75-60 win over Drexel, star guard Buddy Boeheim led the way once again with 23 points on 8/16 shooting. He was one of four double-digit scorers, with Cole Swider, Joe Girard, and Jimmy Boeheim also contributing at a high level. The center duo of Jesse Edwards and Frank Anselem combined for 14 points and 10 rebounds in the game as well.
The competition level for Syracuse goes up this weekend with a matchup against Colgate (2-2). The Raiders are coming off a win over a non-D-I program at Polytechnic University on Thursday but before that, had two straight losses to Cornell and NC State. The battle with the Wolfpack was noticeable, as that was a back-and-forth game for all 40 minutes.
Colgate lost to NC State by just three points and was led by leading scorer Nelly Cummings, who went for 19 points. On a team filled with upperclassmen, the 6’0 guard has become the key offensive option and lone current double-digit scorer. This is a team that historically plays good defense and pressures the opponent and could cause programs for Syracuse on the perimeter.
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These two teams match up well size-wise, with the respective guards providing 80+% of the scoring offense while having a couple of true bigs being defensive anchors and once in a while giving a team a bucket. This could come down to Boeheim vs Cummings, with the winner of that individual matchup giving their team a real shot at winning. I like the red-hot guard on the Orange side to continue scoring well this weekend, keeping the favorites in the win column.