Colgate vs Syracuse: 2023-24 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

The yearly regional rivalry between Colgate and Syracuse resumes; can the Orange return to their winning ways in this rivalry?

TV schedule: Tuesday, November 14, 7:00 pm ET. ACCN

Arena: JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York

Coming off a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, Colgate (1-0) certainly has taken a firm hold on the Patriot League. The Raiders have been a fantastic program across the last half decade and look just as potent this upcoming season. A few of the names are different this year, but you can expect the Raiders to be a force in their conference, though they barely escaped an opening night win over Brown.

One of the main cogs for the Raiders is senior forward Keegan Records, who had 14 points and 7 rebounds against Brown and has been one of the Patriot League’s most efficient offensive players throughout his career. Now a sophomore, Braeden Smith looks to take another step forward, putting up 17 points on opening night. Another name to watch is senior guard Ryan Moffatt, a sharpshooter who’s made 45% of his 3-pointers the last two seasons.

Colgate sits at 144th in the most recent KenPom rankings, though their offense is a fair bit higher. The offense has gotten the job done for them in the Patriot League in recent years while the defense has had issues at time. Pulling out a close victory against an Ivy League foe on opening night may not inspire confidence, but this is an important matchup for the Raiders in the Dome.

Things look very different across the court as Syracuse (2-0) enters just their third game under head coach Adrian Autry. The Orange made the Sweet Sixteen in 2021 but missed the Big Dance in each of the last two seasons. Two major pieces are gone from last season, though Syracuse hopes to have enough talent on this roster to become a contender in the ACC again someday soon.

The principle focus on Syracuse is a pair of sophomore guards who have shown a ton of potential. Judah Mintz was one of the ACC’s best freshmen last season and is averaging 23 points two games into this year. JJ Starling was likewise a standout as a freshman, albeit at Notre Dame, but fits well into Autry’s backcourt, averaging 13.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists so far. It’s a lineup full of young talent that looks to grow together, though those two are the brightest stars who can carry this team to relevance in 2024.

You certainly won’t see Syracuse mentioned in national rankings; they sit just 110th in the most recent KenPom ratings. Things will already look rather different with their infamous zone defense now a thing of the past, but this young roster will need time to gel. The Orange were picked 10th in the ACC and have the potential to cause damage if their offense can come together.

These two teams meet every season, but you have to go back more than two decades to find a game decided by single digits. Does that mean we should expect another blowout? Not necessarily, since Colgate has won the last two matchups between these teams after a significantly long Syracuse streak. While anything could certainly transpire, this is shaping up to break that long string of games that aren’t close.

A great first step for Autry would be taking care of business against the Raiders, though Colgate’s experience is certainly a step above that of the Orange. The raw talent in the backcourt for Syracuse certainly outclasses Colgate, but will it be enough? It’ll be important to see how this new-look Syracuse team (especially on defense) handles a team a bit tougher than New Hampshire or Canisius. Expect a competitive night at the Dome and a bounce back effort for the Orange.

Prediction: Syracuse 80, Colgate 75