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Syracuse’s start to its second season under Adrian Autry has been tough sledding. SU eked by three nonconference, mid-major opponents in its first homestand. A trip to Brooklyn soon followed and the Orange dropped both games at the Legends Classic, falling to Texas and Texas Tech.

A bounce-back victory over Cornell got Syracuse back on track, but Tuesday provided multiple setbacks. First, it lost its leading scorer. Early in the afternoon, it was reported J.J. Starling had broken his left hand, sidelining him indefinitely. Hours later in Knoxville, SU was flattened by one of the best teams in the country in No. 3 Tennessee.

While freshman Elijah Moore scored a career-high 24 points to pick up some slack from the loss of Starling, the Volunteers were far too much to handle. Tennessee led by 10 at halftime and pulled further away in the second half to win by 26, handing Syracuse its third loss of the year.

Still without Starling, SU begins its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule Saturday when it takes on Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have beaten up lower-tier teams but struggled against top opponents, losing their last five games.

Here’s everything to know about Notre Dame (4-5, 0-0 ACC) ahead of its matchup with Syracuse (4-3, 0-0 ACC) Saturday in South Bend:

All time series

Syracuse leads 34-22.

Last time they played …

The Orange celebrated “Jim Boeheim Day” the last time they faced the Fighting Irish. On Feb. 24, SU jumped out to a 49-29 halftime lead, cruising to what looked to be a day-long celebration before a postgame ceremony honoring its former head coach.

Syracuse even led by 29 points with minutes to play in the first half. Then, Notre Dame came fighting back. SU’s lead diminished to just three points late in the second half, propelled by the star play of Markus Burton (28 points) and Braeden Shrewsberry (18 points). The Orange, though, survived. Judah Mintz dropped 21 points and Boeheim was later celebrated after an 88-85 victory.

KenPom Odds

Syracuse has a 32% chance of winning, with a projected score of 78-73.

The Fighting Irish report

Notre Dame is in its second year under Micah Shrewsberry, who’s leading the Fighting Irish after a two-season stint at Penn State. ND finished 13-20 in Micah’s first year, winning an ACC Tournament game.

In year two, Micah’s squad started 4-0 but has dropped its last five as competition has ramped up. A seven-point loss to Elon started the trend before three losses at the Players Era Festival to Rutgers, then-No. 6 Houston and then-No. 21 Creighton. In the SEC/ACC Challenge Tuesday, ND fell by 21 to Georgia.

The Fighting Irish currently rank 83rd in KenPom, 22 slots ahead of the Orange. Notre Dame’s offense has impressed, ranking 60th in efficiency, but its defense has struggled at times, falling to 118th.

ND’s top player, Burton, suffered a knee injury against Rutgers, sidelining him for several weeks. Burton led the team in scoring as a freshman last season, notching 17.5 points per game and winning ACC Freshman of the Year. In his absence, Braeden has emerged as Notre Dame’s top offensive threat.

Notre Dame filled the void of Burton with sophomore Logan Imes starting two games and senior Julian Roper II starting one. The rest of ND’s starting lineup is solidified, as forward Tae Davis has started all nine games, averaging 14.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Lily Zuckerman | Design Editor

This ACC opener is a big test for the Fighting Irish, who went just 7-13 in conference play a year ago.

How Syracuse beats Notre Dame

Syracuse takes down Notre Dame to start conference play 1-0 through another sharp game from Moore and any reminiscence of a defensive improvement. With both Starling and Burton out, the star power is limited. However, Moore has been on a heater as of late, averaging 21.5 points across SU’s last two contests.

Another breakout game from Moore off the bench — or maybe even in the starting lineup — can thrust SU into a close battle down the stretch. Then, it must rely on its defense. The Orange have allowed 70 points or more in every game this season, most notably 96 in their last outing. As Autry said postgame Tuesday, “This is not Syracuse basketball.” The contest with the Fighting Irish may prove it’s not SU’s brand of the past, but the present.

Stat to know: 5.6%, 6.9%

The meeting of the Orange and Fighting Irish brings together two of the most ineffective defenses in the country. SU currently holds a 5.6% steal percentage, ranking 355th of 364 Division I teams, per KenPom. ND isn’t much better, marking a 6.9% rate for 335th in the country.

Through Syracuse’s seven games, its defense has been porous, ranking last in the ACC at 80.9 points allowed per game. Notre Dame ranks 12th with 72.0 points allowed per game. With two middling defenses, something has to give. This one could turn into a shootout in South Bend.

Player to watch: Braeden Shrewsberry, guard, No. 11

While the absence of Burton is substantial, Braeden has elevated his game to be the Fighting Irish’s leading scorer who’s healthy. The 6-foot-3 sophomore is averaging 15.2 points per game thus far, dropping 14 or more in 7-of-9 games following a 10.2 average as a freshman.

The son of ND’s head coach, Braeden, has proved to be no fluke. After appearing in all 33 games last year, he’s slotted into the starting lineup every game in 2024-25. Braeden makes defenders pay beyond the arc, averaging eight 3-point attempts per game and converting on 23. Limiting Braeden means stifling Notre Dame’s offense.

Published on December 5, 2024 at 12:31 am

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky