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Syracuse (7-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast) hosts Miami (6-6, 2-5 ACC) on Tuesday as losers of three of its last four contests, with pressure suddenly mounting less than halfway through conference play. 

Miami point guard Chris Lykes has missed the last 11 games, and his status for Tuesday night’s tip is unknown, though his absence was a gametime decision in the Hurricanes’ recent upset win over Louisville. 

Here’s what you need to know about Miami:

All-time series

Syracuse leads 19-9, by an average margin of victory of 6.3 points

Last time they played

Syracuse closed last year’s regular season with a 69-65 overtime loss to the Hurricanes in Coral Gables as the offense fell flat. Elijah Hughes exited the game early with a head injury, leaving Joe Girard III as SU’s lone source of shot creation. Girard hit a floater at the end of regulation to force overtime but rimmed out a pull-up late in the period that would’ve kept the Orange alive. He finished 5-for-17 for 13 points. Marek Dolezaj, who played all 45 minutes, led SU with 17 points and seven rebounds. 

For Miami, which was also without Lykes last year, guard Isaiah Wong poured in 18 on 13 field goal attempts. There were seven ties and 11 lead changes in the thriller. 

KenPom odds

Syracuse has a 69% chance of winning, with a projected score of 74-68.

The Hurricanes report

Miami has been decimated by injuries all season, but the team has competed nonetheless. It’s missing two scholarship players, Rodney Miller Jr. and Sam Waardenburg, due to season-ending injuries. Preseason First Team All-ACC guard Lykes has only played two games with an ankle injury, and Kameron McGusty and Earl Timberlake have also missed time. 

Still, five of Miami’s six losses have been by a combined 14 points. It played Clemson, North Carolina Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh tight while also most recently upsetting No. 16 Louisville in Coral Gables. 

Miami is huge — with an average height of 6-foot-5, it’s the 18th-tallest team in the nation — and it plays terrific defense. The Hurricanes have held opponents to 60 or fewer points four times this season and allow offenses to shoot just 44.3% on 2s (34th best, per KenPom). 

Hurricanes coach Jim Larrañaga said Monday that he’s hopeful 6-foot-6 freshman Timberlake returns for the Syracuse game, which gives The U even more depth in the frontcourt to go along with seven-footer Nysier Brooks, Matt Cross, Anthony Walker and senior Elijah Olaniyi. 

The guard position, without Lykes, is more of a question mark. Wong exploded for 30 points against Louisville, but he’d struggled from 3 prior to that upset. Starting point guard Harlond Beverly has scored double-digits four times in 2020-21 and shoots only 19% from 3. 

How Syracuse beats Miami

In the past three ACC games, all losses, Syracuse has been outrebounded 144 to 99. Miami’s frontcourt poses just as much of a threat on the glass as Pittsburgh’s, which absolutely manhandled SU in their first meeting and did just enough damage in the second. If Syracuse can keep The U’s bigs off the offensive glass, it’ll be able to compete. 

It’ll also have to get much more production from its guards. Syracuse will only reach its ceiling if Girard, Buddy Boeheim and Kadary Richmond all play to their highest capabilities. In Syracuse’s most recent loss to Pittsburgh, they combined for 16 points on 5-for-21 shooting. The Orange aren’t beating anyone, let alone a strong Miami group, with that output. 

Player to watch: Isaiah Wong, Guard, No. 2

If Lykes remains out, Miami heavily depends on Wong for scoring at the point of attack, which could be even more valuable than normal against the zone. Wong is Miami’s most dynamic slasher and isolation scorer, but he’s also the best 3-point shooter on a roster that struggles from the outside. If Syracuse loses him on the perimeter and lets him get it going from 3, the Hurricanes will be tough to defend. 

Stat to know: 28% 

As a team, Miami makes only 28% of their 3-point shots, which is the worst in the ACC. Only 27 teams in college basketball are worse at hitting 3s. Outside shooting isn’t the only key to busting Syracuse’s zone, but it certainly helps. 

Published on January 18, 2021 at 4:45 pm

Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman