T
en years ago, Syracuse and Georgetown faced off in its final Big East matchup during the conference tournament semifinals on March 15, 2013. SU scraped by with a 58-55 overtime win before leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference later that year.
Despite Syracuse leading in the all-time series, the two sides have evenly split their last eight contests since the Orange joined the ACC. Most recently, at the JMA Wireless Dome on Dec. 10, 2022, the Orange beat the Hoyas 83-64. Judah Mintz tallied 16 points and a career-high 10 assists, while fellow Maryland native Benny Williams added 13.
Another chapter in this storied rivalry unfolds Saturday when Syracuse visits Georgetown for the 99th overall meeting. New appointments Adrian Autry and Ed Cooley will meet for the first time as head coaches.
Here’s how our beat writers think SU will fare in Washington D.C.:
Cole Bambini
Pit stop in the capital
Syracuse 79, Georgetown 72
Ever since Syracuse departed the Big East for the ACC, this historic rivalry has been split down the middle. The Orange haven’t won in Washington, D.C., in nearly six years, but I think they’ll come out on top Saturday to make it two straight against Georgetown.
It won’t be easy on the road and shouldn’t be a blowout like last year’s matchup. This year’s Hoyas squad is much different than last year’s, which finished 7-25. Longtime Providence head coach Cooley took over the program in March and already has five wins this season. Syracuse can get a solid win over Georgetown, which has one-point losses to Holy Cross and TCU.
Georgetown can score the ball, averaging nearly 80 points per game. It put up 83 against TCU and will likely test the Orange by having four consistent players who average double figures. But Syracuse, especially against LSU, has shown it can lock down defensively and get strong offensive performances from players like Chris Bell. SU will still rely on Mintz heavily, but complementing options need to be dependable if it wants to leave with a win.
Henry O’Brien
D.C. basketball is atrocious
Syracuse 74, Georgetown 70
If you look to the professional team that plays where Syracuse and Georgetown will compete, you will find some uninspiring and bland basketball. The Washington Wizards haven’t been fun to watch, and neither has Georgetown.
The Hoyas lost to Holy Cross and barely beat Mount St. Mary’s, American, Jackson State and Merrimack. That’s pretty uninspiring results against teams who have no prayer of making the Big Dance. It should give SU’s stars a chance to shine.
One week ago, Mintz had an abysmal five-point performance in the Orange’s ACC opener against Virginia. Now back in the DMV, he will show up against a Hoyas defense which ranks 303rd in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom. He and his SU teammates may struggle against one of the better 3-point defenses in the country. But in this instance, they shouldn’t have too much trouble charging at the rim.
Tyler Schiff
Reclaiming its rhythm
Syracuse 75, Georgetown 60
Syracuse has suffered a few ugly losses in the young 2023-24 campaign. Two double-digit defeats to then-No. 7 Tennessee and then-No. 11 Gonzaga at the Allstate Maui Invitational were followed up by an 84-62 loss at Virginia in SU’s first ACC game.
But just like there’s a substantial gap between SU and the country’s top teams, it holds a similar, sizable advantage, over the Hoyas. Georgetown features just four returners across its 15-man roster. And though five of them are seniors, this is a squad that hasn’t been given enough time to gel.
The lack of chemistry has translated into an 88-83 overtime loss to American and a too-close-for-comfort 69-67 victory over lowly Merrimack, which came down to the final possession. The Hoyas don’t have the sharpshooting or lockdown defense that SU’s previous opponents have displayed.
So, Mintz should have his way with driving through the lane. Bell should find success from the perimeter and the mid-range game. Hopefully, this contest also serves as confidence boosters for players like Naheem McLeod, Justin Taylor and Quadir Copeland to find their footing amid a series of middling performances.
Photograph taken by Jacob Halsema | Staff Photographer
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