To support student journalism and the content you love, become a member of The Daily Orange today.

After an unusual eight-day stretch without any games after its season-opener last Monday, Syracuse returns to the court Tuesday night for a matchup with Colgate. The Raiders, who have had an annual spot on SU’s schedule since 1993 and have played the Orange more than any other school, pulled off a surprising upset win in the Dome last year, 100-85. It was Colgate’s first win over Syracuse since 1962. 

The Raiders won the Patriot League last year and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Wisconsin in the first round. The Orange are coming off their first losing season under head coach Jim Boeheim, but impressed in their win over Lehigh last week, winning 90-72 behind a combined 37 points from Jesse Edwards and Joe Girard III. 

Here is what our beat writers think will happen when Colgate and Syracuse meet for the 174th time Tuesday night: 

Anish Vasudevan (1-0) 
Not like last year
Syracuse 85, Colgate 77

Syracuse led by 17 points just seven minutes into last year’s matchup against Colgate. But a lack of rebounding and 3-point defense helped the Raiders take control of the half, and ultimately the game. The Orange’s defense has improved this season with the addition of Judah Mintz at the top of the zone, and Edwards and Benny Williams have shown their strength crashing the boards.

But Indiana University of Pennsylvania exposed how SU still needs to improve on defending deep shots. IUP lost steam, which Boeheim said wouldn’t happen with a stronger team — possibly Colgate. This game may be closer than it needs to be, but if Edwards and Williams can make sure Syracuse wins the rebounding battle, unlike last season, it should be able to come out on top.

Connor Smith (1-0)
Back to normal 
Syracuse 79, Colgate 60

Syracuse had a 54-game win streak going against Colgate until the Raiders came into the Dome and dropped 100 points last November. Granted, Colgate was the Patriot League’s best team for the third-straight season and on its way back to the NCAA Tournament, while the Orange were just kicking off what turned out to be their first losing season under Boeheim. Still, SU losing to this in-state foe was nothing short of shocking.

I expect things to go differently this year. While the Raiders do return nearly 60% of their minutes from last year’s team, Syracuse looked good in its opener, and I just don’t think Colgate can pull a surprise two years in a row. The Raiders have more size than Lehigh did, but I still expect Edwards to dominate inside and finish with a double-double. The Orange’s guards played well in the season-opener last week, and Symir Torrence and Girard will each hit a few 3s, helping SU improve to 2-0.

Anthony Alandt (1-0) 
Close call
Syracuse 80, Colgate 75

This one’s going to give Syracuse fans a lot of heartburn following last year’s mind-boggling loss to the Raiders. But the Orange are much improved from last year, despite starting two freshmen and Boeheim ripping into players like Chris Bell for not grabbing loose rebounds after SU’s first win against Lehigh. There’s plenty of room for improvement for the Orange, and getting over last year’s blunder will certainly quiet some concerned whispers that arose through the team’s first two exhibition games.

Syracuse should take care of business, helped along by its high-scoring lineup and Edwards down low. But Colgate can also score, averaging 85.7 points per game through three contests thus far. It’ll be a win for the Orange, giving them a 2-0 start, but it won’t come without a few sweaty palms.

Published on November 15, 2022 at 1:13 am