CORAL GABLES, FLA. -- Miami (18-7, 7-6 ACC) returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 12 p.m. as they host Syracuse (17-9, 6-7 ACC) at the Watsco Center. The game will be televised on CBS, while WQAM 560-AM has the local radio broadcast.
The Hurricanes are coming off a home loss against top-ranked Virginia, 59-50, on Tuesday, while the Orange are trying to start their own winning streak after a 74-70 loss at home to NC State on Wednesday.
Despite the loss to Virginia, where freshman guard Chris Lykes had a career-high 19 points, Miami is still 9-2 at home on the season and have won 36 of their last 40 games at the Watsco Center.
This will be the first and only scheduled meeting of the season between the two schools. Miami is 8-17 all-time against Syracuse, including a 3-3 record since Syracuse joined the ACC. The teams split a pair of meetings last year, with the Canes avenging a regular season road loss, 70-55, to the Orange by defeating them, 62-57, in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
Like the rest of the country, Miami struggled offensively in the Virginia game against the nation’s top-ranked defense. They will have another tough test on Saturday against Jim Boeheim’s famous 2-3 zone defense that ranks No. 14 in the nation in scoring defense (63.8 opp ppg).
Look for Lykes to continue his team-leading 16.0 ppg in Miami’s last three games to attack and find perimeter scorer/cutter freshman guard Lonnie Walker IV, or for the Canes to use sophomore forward Dewan Huell in the post to help dismantle the zone.
Syracuse is a thin team led by a three-headed monster of junior and sophomore guards Frank Howard (15.1 ppg) and Tyus Battle (20.2 ppg), and freshman forward Oshae Brissett (14.7 ppg). Named to the 2018 Jerry West Award watch list, Battle is one of three ACC players averaging over 20.0 ppg, including a 37-point effort against Florida State last month. Battle, Brissett and Howard rank first, fourth and ninth nationally in average minutes played.
Following the game on Saturday, the University of Miami men’s basketball team will have a quick turnaround and head to South Bend to face Notre Dame at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
The Hurricanes are coming off a home loss against top-ranked Virginia, 59-50, on Tuesday, while the Orange are trying to start their own winning streak after a 74-70 loss at home to NC State on Wednesday.
Despite the loss to Virginia, where freshman guard Chris Lykes had a career-high 19 points, Miami is still 9-2 at home on the season and have won 36 of their last 40 games at the Watsco Center.
This will be the first and only scheduled meeting of the season between the two schools. Miami is 8-17 all-time against Syracuse, including a 3-3 record since Syracuse joined the ACC. The teams split a pair of meetings last year, with the Canes avenging a regular season road loss, 70-55, to the Orange by defeating them, 62-57, in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
Like the rest of the country, Miami struggled offensively in the Virginia game against the nation’s top-ranked defense. They will have another tough test on Saturday against Jim Boeheim’s famous 2-3 zone defense that ranks No. 14 in the nation in scoring defense (63.8 opp ppg).
Look for Lykes to continue his team-leading 16.0 ppg in Miami’s last three games to attack and find perimeter scorer/cutter freshman guard Lonnie Walker IV, or for the Canes to use sophomore forward Dewan Huell in the post to help dismantle the zone.
Syracuse is a thin team led by a three-headed monster of junior and sophomore guards Frank Howard (15.1 ppg) and Tyus Battle (20.2 ppg), and freshman forward Oshae Brissett (14.7 ppg). Named to the 2018 Jerry West Award watch list, Battle is one of three ACC players averaging over 20.0 ppg, including a 37-point effort against Florida State last month. Battle, Brissett and Howard rank first, fourth and ninth nationally in average minutes played.
Following the game on Saturday, the University of Miami men’s basketball team will have a quick turnaround and head to South Bend to face Notre Dame at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
