Following a three-game road trip, Syracuse (16-6, 7-2 Atlantic Coast) looks to pick up its third victory over a ranked opponent this season. Florida State (16-5, 4-4) enters the Carrier Dome on Tuesday night coming off three-straight victories. FSU lost to Pittsburgh, Duke and Boston College last month, but they nearly beat the then-No. 1 Blue Devils.

Here’s what you need to know about Florida State.

All-time series: Syracuse leads, 7-3

Last time they played: The Orange beat FSU in each of the teams’ first three ACC games, but FSU has taken two of the last three. Syracuse’s lone win in the last three games came two years ago when the unranked Orange upset then-No. 6 Florida State. John Gillon had 21 points and 11 assists, and Tyler Lydon had six blocks and 11 rebounds.

Last January in Tallahassee, then-sophomore Tyus Battle dropped 37 points in a double-overtime loss to the Seminoles. At the time, it was the Orange’s fourth-straight loss. The Seminoles hit 11 3-pointers and score 101 points across 50 minutes of playing time.

The Florida State report: Last March, FSU made a surprise run of its own: an Elite Eight appearance. With most of their roster back, the Seminoles were predicted to be one of the better teams in the conference this season. They have size and experience, and longtime head coach Leonard Hamilton (17th season) will surely have his unit ready to play SU on the road.

The Seminoles fell to 1-4 in ACC play, but they’ve hit their stride and earned themselves back to the AP Top 25 at No. 22. Forward Mfiondu Kabengele leads the squad with 13 points per game, and guard Trent Forrest leads the team with 3.7 assists per game, plus two steals.

More than anything, FSU is as balanced a team Syracuse will face. There’s no single player or duo that could do the Orange in. Rather, FSU has six players with at least seven points per game and eight players with over 6.4 points per game. The Seminoles will use their balance to beat the zone, running through the high post area to set up jumpers and 3s on the wings. Florida State ranks in the middle of the ACC in 3-point percentage (33 percent), near SU (32.8 percent).

How Syracuse beats Florida State: Limit FSU’s open looks from deep and keep up the strong defense. M.J. Walker is shooting 37 percent from 3-point range, including a 6-for-7 showing against Miami. Syracuse has been affected by select 3-point shooters — see Ky Bowman and Justin Robinson in the last week alone — and preventing Walker from finding open space at the top of the key and wings is vital. Oshae Brissett’s continued progression inside is important for SU to match up against the sizeable frontcourt that Florida State brings.

Stat to know: 32.8 percent — Syracuse’s 3-point shooting percentage

The Orange has improved their 3-point shooting percentage significantly in part due to Buddy Boeheim’s emergence and Brissett’s placement at the high post. Open shots and knockdowns have followed.

KenPom odds: KenPom gives Syracuse a 59-percent chance to beat FSU and predicts a 69-67 final score in favor of the Orange.

Player to watch: Terance Mann, senior guard, No. 14

At 6-foot-7, Mann represents a difficult matchup. He’s averaging 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds to go along with 2.1 dimes per game. He’s not much of a 3-point threat, but he can stretch the floor and score inside. In a 2018 Daily Orange profile, Mann said he admired former SU guard Michael Carter-Williams’ game after following in his footsteps in the Boston Amateur Basketball Club program. Both are long, athletic guards that give man-to-man defenses and 2-3 zones alike all kinds of fits.

Published on February 4, 2019 at 8:43 pm

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21