Indiana Hoosiers vs. Syracuse Orange Picks, Predictions, Odds

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

6 minute read

Nov. 30, 2021

Dan Dobish
VI Betting Expert
VegasInsider.com

The Indiana Hoosiers (6-0) travel to meet the Syracuse Orange (3-3) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Tuesday night at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on ESPN2.

Score Prediction

Indiana 72, Syracuse 69

Best Bets

Indiana -125 ML

Under 144.5 (-110)

Indiana Hoosiers vs. Syracuse Orange Predictions

The Hoosiers have played six games, and the Hoosiers have won all six outings so far. Unlike a lot of higher-profile teams playing holiday tournaments, big-time neutral-site affairs and challenging marquee road games, Indiana is having none of that. All six games have been at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington so far, with wins over Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, St. John's, Louisiana, Jackson State and Marshall. That's not exactly a murderer's row of opponents, but they will hit the road for the first time and play a higher-profile team in this one.

The results have been mixed for the Orange so far. Syracuse opened with victories over Lafayette and Drexel, but they were dumped by Colgate in the Carrier Dome on Nov. 20, and the Raiders dropped a hondo on them, too. Syracuse lost again on Nov. 24 in a neutral-site game against Virginia Commonwealth, and they didn't play very well in the 67-55 loss. They rebounded against Arizona State the next night, but they're a middle of the road team from a power conference, in a similar spot that Syracuse finds themselves currently. The Orange found out how much work it has to do to get back to respectability when a ranked Auburn absolutely boat-raced them 89-68 in another neutral-site battle on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Indiana Hoosiers vs. Syracuse Orange Betting Odds

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Indiana Hoosiers vs. Syracuse Orange Betting Resources

• Matchup: Big 10 vs. ACC
• Date: Tuesday, November 30, 2021
• Venue: Carrier Dome
• Location: Syracuse, New York
• TV-Time: ESPN2 - 7:00 p.m. ET

• Injury Report
• Wooden Award Odds
• Conference Futures Market
• Power Rankings

Indiana Hoosiers Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 6-0
• ATS: 4-2
• O/U: 1-5

The Hoosiers head to upstate New York with a 3-0 ATS run, outscoring the opposition by at least 11 points in each of the outings. The OVER result against Marshall last time splashed cold water on a 5-0 UNDER streak to open the season.

These teams last met Dec. 3, 2013 in Syracuse, and the Orange won 69-52 for a cover, while also winning in an NCAA Tournament Game on March 28, 2013, 61-50. But none of the kids currently on the rosters of either team are on the roster now obviously.

This game might bring back some nostalgia for old-school fans of both school, and just basketball in general. Who can forget Steve Alford and Keith Smart battling it out with Derrick Coleman, Sherman Douglas and Rony Seikaly for the national title in 1987?

Syracuse Orange Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 3-3
• ATS: 2-4
• O/U: 4-2

It's really difficult to say what we're getting with the Orange. This team has three losses by double-digit points, including a not-so-good setback against Colgate which might come back to haunt them if they can get onto the NCAA Tournament bubble in February into March. But they do have a quality win over Arizona State, albeit a team which has struggled a bit.

The coach's son, Buddy Boeheim, is playing well for the Orange, and he has help. Five Orange players have averaged 11.8 or more points per game, but things drop off precipitously once the starters are no longer involved. This team is hitting 38.1% from behind the arc, and they're doing well at the free-throw line. But this isn't a suffocating defense, allowing 77.2 PPG, which ranks 317th in the nation. And the Orange are just so-so in the rebounding departments.

Syracuse has managed to cover just once in the past five games overall. (AP)

Inside the Stats - Indiana Hoosiers

• Record: 6-0
• VI Ranking: 14
• PS/G: 77.5
• PA/G: 57.2
• ORtg: 36.3
• DRtg: 31.2

Inside the Stats - Syracuse Orange

• Record: 3-3
• VI Ranking: 84
• PS/G: 78.7
• PA/G: 77.2
• ORtg: 32.2
• DRtg: 30.7

Key Players to Watch

• IND: Trayce Jackson-Davis - F (20.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.8 BPG, 2.5 APG)
• IND: Xavier Johnson - G (11.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG)
• SYR: Buddy Boeheim - G (20.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.8 SPG)
• SYR: Cole Swider - F (12.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 1.3 APG)

Indiana Hoosiers vs. Syracuse Orange Betting Conclusion

I think Indiana's 6-0 record is a rather soft one, but the Hoosiers do not have to apologize. You win the games on your schedule, and that's exactly what they're doing. Only the St. John's game was notable, and the Red Storm really pushed the Hoosiers to the limit. I think the Orange has the potential to do the same in this game in upstate New York, and they'll be buoyed by a home crowd which always gets after it on gameday.

Indiana isn't very good shooting the three, which is good news for Syracuse, and the Hoosiers have been horrific at the charity stripe, hitting just 66.9%. But defense has saved them, allowing just 57.2 PPG, which is good for 23rd in the nation, and they're the No. 1 team in the country in terms of defensive field goal percentage at 32.1%. However, who have they really played? They haven't faced a sharpshooter like Boeheim, who figures to give them fits, and the Orange can bring it with five capable scorers. But in the end, the Hoosiers have more depth, and that will be the difference as they sneak out of upstate New York with a narrow victory.

Indiana Hoosiers vs. Syracuse Orange Betting Trends

• Indiana is 4-1 ATS in the past five games overall.
• Indiana is 1-4 ATS in the past five road games.
• Syracuse is 1-4 ATS in the past five games overall.
• The UNDER is 9-1 in Indiana's past 10 games overall.
• The UNDER is 3-1-1 in Indiana's past five road games.
• The UNDER is 13-6 in Syracuse's past 19 home games.

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