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Syracuse wraps up nonconference play Saturday when it takes on Bucknell at the JMA Wireless Dome. The Orange are coming off an embarrassing 27-point loss to Maryland on Dec. 21, where their largest deficit was 38. The loss marks one of the lowest points in program history as SU fell to below .500 for the first time this season.

Against the Terrapins, Syracuse scored just 17 points in the first half and turned the ball over 21 times in the contest. It looked completely outmatched in all facets of the game. The Orange continued to struggle on offense with leading-scorer J.J. Starling out injured. Starling’s timeline for return is still unknown as SU gets ready for Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Luckily for Syracuse, Bucknell has played poorly over the past few weeks. The Bison have lost six straight games with four of them coming by double digits.

Here’s everything to know about Bucknell (4-8, Patriot League) before it takes on Syracuse (5-6, 0-1 ACC):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 8-1.

Last time they played …

Syracuse defeated Bucknell 97-46 on Nov. 23, 2019, in a game in which it never trailed. The Orange unleashed an offensive onslaught in the first half, scoring 51 points while hitting eight 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Bucknell finished with just nine made field goals in the first half. SU didn’t let up in the second half, adding six more triples and finished shooting 56% from the field.

Buddy Boeheim led Syracuse with 22 points on 6-for-8 shooting from 3. Elijah Hughes also added 21 with five assists.

KenPom Odds

Syracuse has an 88% chance to win, with a projected score of 80-67.

The Bison report

As much as Syracuse has played poorly recently, Bucknell has played worse. The Bison started the season promisingly at 4-2 but have lost the past six games, with their average margin of defeat being just under 14 points. Bucknell’s last win came before Thanksgiving, an 81-64 win over NJIT on Nov. 21.

Bucknell is led by senior guard Josh Boscoe, who leads the Bison in scoring with 14.1 points per game. Boscoe doesn’t have much help, with two other players averaging double figures in Noah Williamson and Ian Motta, but Motta hasn’t played since late November due to an injury.

The Bison have an offensive rating of 98.1, according to KenPom, which ranks 335th in the country. During its losing streak, they’ve scored at least 65 points only twice. Bucknell doesn’t pose much of a threat from the perimeter, hitting just 30.2% of their 3-pointers this season.

How Syracuse beats Bucknell

It’s hard to pinpoint one thing Syracuse needs to do better after its disastrous loss to Maryland. The main thing for SU is to play a clean game after turning the ball over a season-high 21 times against the Terrapins. Bucknell’s defense is less formidable, but the Orange need to be laser-focused on executing their offensive game plan.

Syracuse needs to continue to use its frontcourt depth to its advantage. Adrian Autry should play through Eddie Lampkin Jr. and Jyáre Davis in the post as well as using Donnie Freeman’s versatility on the perimeter. With that trio, Syracuse should easily overpower a below-average Bucknell team.

Stat to know: 20.5%

Bucknell struggles to take care of the ball and turns it over on 20.5% of its possessions. According to KenPom, that’s the No. 321 rate in Division I. The Bison are averaging just over 15 giveaways per game and have not had a game with less than 10 all season. On six different occasions, they’ve turned the ball over at least 16 times,

Even with Bucknell’s turnover issues, Syracuse might be even worse at forcing them. SU’s opponents give the ball away on 13.6% of their possessions, which ranks among the best rates in the nation.

Player to watch: Noah Williamson, center, No. 3

Williamson was a breakout player for Bucknell last season. As a freshman, he appeared in 17 games with zero starts, averaging a measly 1.5 points per game. In his second season, Williamson was one of Bucknell’s best players. He became a regular starter, averaging 12.3 points while shooting 49.5% from the field. The 7-foot center’s performance earned Third-Team All-Patriot League honors.

This season, his scoring has bumped to 13.6 points on similar efficiency (48.8% from the field) while pulling in a team-high 6.2 rebounds per game. Against Southern Indiana on Nov. 7, Williamson scored a career-high 32 points.

Published on December 27, 2024 at 6:22 pm

Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22