Syracuse gets its second shot at a clean start Thursday, and the expectations are pretty straightforward: the Orange should handle Central Connecticut State.
After opening the season with a 16-point win over New Haven, Syracuse now turns to another low-ranked opponent in the Blue Devils, with a chance to move to 2-0 before the schedule gets much tougher. The opener had plenty of notable moments - Gerry McNamara’s first game as SU’s head coach in front of more than 23,000 fans, Kiyan Anthony leading the team in scoring despite not starting, and Gavin Doty logging nine more minutes than any other Orange player because of his nonstop energy.
It also left McNamara unhappy. He was critical of the team’s effort after the New Haven game, and that frustration is shaping how beat writers see Thursday’s matchup at the JMA Wireless Dome.
Nicholas Alumkal sees Syracuse taking care of business in a more convincing way this time, projecting a 78-58 win. He expects the Orange to look sharper after McNamara’s pointed comments about the opener, especially from the backcourt and the post.
Alumkal specifically pointed to Ryan Moesch and Garwey Dual, along with Luke Wilson, after McNamara singled out those areas Monday. He also expects better shooting from deep after Syracuse hit just 28.6% from 3-point range against New Haven.
There’s still plenty to clean up, but Alumkal believes the talent gap will show through. He pointed to Doty, Anthony and Sadiq White Jr. as the bright spots that should carry Syracuse past a team he described as another easy opponent before the real grind begins.
Noah Nussbaum is also calling for an Orange win, with Syracuse taking this one 77-61. His main question is whether SU can separate earlier and stay in control longer than it did against New Haven. The Orange led by as many as 28 in that game, but the Chargers trimmed the margin after Syracuse shot 11-of-27 in the second half.
That matters because better teams are coming. Nussbaum noted that Indiana and St.
John’s are both top-50 teams in KenPom, and Syracuse can’t afford the same kind of letdown against them. He also highlighted the balanced production from the opener, when Anthony scored 17 points and White and Doty both posted double-doubles.
Mauricio Palmar is the most lopsided of the three predictions, picking Syracuse to roll 80-53. He framed the matchup as one that could feel like a walkover, even if Central Connecticut State does in fact show up. Palmar believes McNamara’s anger after the opener means Syracuse won’t drift through this one the same way it did late against New Haven.
He also pointed out that Central Connecticut State is No. 340 in KenPom, while Syracuse sits at No. 89. The Blue Devils are better than New Haven - they went 25-7 two seasons ago and had the Northeast Conference’s second-best record last year - but Palmar expects the Orange to be much better too.
The consensus is clear: Syracuse should win, and win comfortably. The only real question is whether the Orange can make it look like the mismatch everyone expects.
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Malachi Nelson is trending in the right direction, but he remains doubtful, which keeps the quarterback picture from fully settling just yet. Clemson has its own injury issues to manage, with starters Elyjah Thurmon, Harris Sewell and Gideon Davidson ruled out and wide receiver Tyler Brown questionable, but Syracuses concern is more immediate on defense, where availability could shape how the Orange try to handle one of the ACCs tougher road environments. [Read more 🡒]