what year is it?
No. 11 Syracuse met No. 2 Houston in the semifinals of the Midwest Region for the first time since 1982. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:55 pm at Hink Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be broadcast on TBS.
The Orange (18-9) are back in a regional semifinal for the third time in six seasons as a double-digit seed. Jim Boeheim, 76, will try to guide Syracuse for his sixth Final Four appearance during his tenure.
It is a tough test against Houston (26–3), trying to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since Phi Slama Jama from 1982–84. Calvin Sampson overtook Houston in the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years.
The Cougars defeated the Orange 92–87 in that matchup on December 11, 1982. It took Boehm a long time to achieve that rematch. With this in mind, here is a close look at the matchup between Orange and the Cougars:
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Syracuse vs Houston Odds
- Spread: Houston-6
- over under: 140
- money Line: Houston-260, Syracuse +215
Three betting trends to watch
– Houston is 18-9 ATS as a favorite this season. The Cougars are 9–0 S / U in non-insidious games this season.
– The Cougars are 6-3 ATS through a nine-game winning streak, but have failed to cover their last four matches with a single-digit spread.
– Syracuse is 5-6 ATS as an underdog this season, but the Orange are 6-0 ATS in their last six games. Syracuse is also 10-2 ATS in NCAA Tournament games since 2015.
Syracuse Key Players
Buddy Boehm leads the Orange with 18 points per game, but the junior guard has taken his game to the next level in postseason play. Quincy Guerrier (13.9 ppg.), Alan Griffin (13.7 ppg.) And Marek Dolazaz (10.0 ppg.) Also average double figures for the Orange.
Houston key players
Quentin Grimes, a junior guard, is an everything player for the Cougars. He averages 18.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists. Guard Marcus Sasser adds 13.3 ppg, and senior Dejon Jarareu adds 10.9 ppg. And 5.3 rpg. Houston is a strong perimeter team, but the offense flows through the Grimes.
Best Individual Matchup: Boehm vs Grimes
Who else will be there? Bosheim has emerged as one of the hottest players in the postseason. In Syracuse’s final four matches, Boime is averaging 28.3 points per game and 43 of 43 (55.8 percent) from 3-point range. He will not defend head-to-head Graeme in the match-up zone, but they have to match each other. Grimm averages 19.4 points and 5.2 rebounds through the Houston postseason. Both teams will outplay their star players in this matchup.
Syracuse vs Houston State to know
Syracuse’s defense joins teams in 3-point competition, and it works. Consider that when the team makes 10 trios in a game, the Orange is 6-4, and that includes a second-round win against West Virginia. Houston makes 9.2 3-pointers per game. The Orange, meanwhile, are 9-2 when they make 10 or more 3-pointers. If Boehm stays hot, Syracuse will have a chance.
Know… Justin Gorm
The 6-7 senior forward will be a key player against Syracuse’s match-up zone. He played 12 games with double-digit rebounds this season, and Cogar was 11-1 in those games. He averaged just three boards in Houston’s first two tournament wins. If Gorham gets success on the glass on both sides and can neutralize Doljaz, the Cougars will be in good shape.
Syracuse vs Houston Prediction
San Diego and West Virginia shot 22 of 66 from 3-point range against Syracuse last weekend. While focused, Houston also plays good defense. The Cougars allow only 57.9 points per game. It has been suggested that this would be the slowest one where both teams rely on their hot 3-point shooting. Boehm will keep Syracuse in it, but Houston will do it aggressively enough to slide into the Elite Eight with a shot in the Final Four.
final score: Houston 64, Syracuse 60
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