Syracuse Orange vs Virginia Cavaliers Prediction & Match Preview - January 25, 2021 | NCAA Men's Basketball
The 13th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers will look to stay perfect in ACC play as they host the Syracuse Orange on Monday night.
The Cavaliers improved to 6-0 against conference opponents with a narrow victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in their last game. They are currently one of the hottest teams in college basketball, defending the top spot of the ACC standings with great success.
Carrying some momentum of their own, the Orange are coming off an upset victory over the 16th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies.
Match Details
Fixture: Syracuse Orange vs. Virginia Cavaliers - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Monday, January 25th, 2021, 7 PM ET
Venue: Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York
Syracuse Orange Preview
The Syracuse Orange were off to a great start to their season, winning six of their first seven games. However, once they opened their ACC schedule, the Orange ran into some trouble and lost three of their first four conference games.
Fortunately for them, the tides now seem to be turning, with the team playing top-tier team defense and winning their last two games.
With a win over the Virginia Cavaliers on Monday, the Syracuse Orange would improve to 4-3 in conference play and secure the 7th spot in the ACC.
Key Player - Quincy Guerrier
Syracuse Orange star forward Quincy Guerrier has been tearing up defenses recently. The 6-foot-7 sophomore has combined for 38 points in his last two games, helping his team to two much-needed victories.
Quincy Guerrier is going to be called upon for both his scoring ability and his defensive skill on Monday. He will be matched up with Virginia Cavaliers' star Sam Hauser in a battle that could determine the outcome of the game.
Syracuse Orange Predicted Lineup
F Quincy Guerrier, F Marek Dolezaj, F Alan Griffin, G Joseph Girard III, G Buddy Boeheim
Virginia Cavaliers Preview
The Virginia Cavaliers narrowly escaped with a 2-point victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday. With the win, the Cavaliers improved to 10-2 on the season and extended their lead in the ACC conference.
Offensively, this group is led by forward Sam Hauser but have gotten consistent production from each of their starting five thus far.
When the Syracuse Orange come to town, the Virginia Cavaliers will look to keep their offense rolling and improve to 7-0 against ACC opponents.
Key Player - Sam Hauser
The key factor for the Virginia Cavaliers in their match-up with Syracuse will be the battle for the paint. This is where Sam Hauser comes in.
Not only will Hauser be looking to get to the basket, but he will be assigned the task of defending Syracuse star forward Quincy Guerrier.
This battle of bigs will be a great test for Hauser, who is averaging a team-high 13.8 points and 7.5 boards per game.
If the 6-foot-8 senior can get the best of Guerrier, his Virginia Cavaliers should cruise to a 7th straight win.
Virginia Cavaliers Predicted Lineup
F Sam Hauser, F Jay Huff, F Kihei Clark, G Trey Murphy III, G Reece Beekman
Syracuse vs. Virginia Prediction
Although the Syracuse Orange have been playing their best basketball recently, the Virginia Cavaliers are the bigger and faster team.
The Cavaliers have shut down each of their conference opponents' attempts to dethrone them, producing solid team possessions on both ends of the floor.
I predict the Syracuse Orange to come out of the gate with some energy. However, the gradual attack of the Virginia Cavaliers offense will prevail, and they will improve to 7-0 in conference play.
Where to watch Syracuse vs. Virginia
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.