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Syracuse (12-5, 3-1 ACC) heads to Chestnut Hill, Mass. for an ACC matchup with Boston College (7-10, 0-4 ACC). The Orange packed a three-game winning streak they will put to the test against the Eagles.
Dominant Donnie
Sophomore Donnie Freeman has been among the ACC’s top offensive threats since returning from injury. Freeman is averaging 23.0 points over his last four appearances, scoring over 20 in the past three. His 23.0 scoring average during league play ranks third among all ACC players.
Freeman has delivered in crunch time throughout the season, and Tuesday’s win over Florida State was no exception. He poured in nine points in the final six minutes to stave off a Seminole comeback. He got it done on the defensive end as well, chasing down Martin Somerville for a block in transition, then gathering the loose ball and hitting a layup at the other end.
Freeman finished the Florida State win with 25 points, his second highest total of the year, along with eight boards.
The Orange are 7-0 this season when Freeman is in the starting rotation.
The Offense is Rolling
Freeman’s return to the starting lineup has jump started the Orange offense. Syracuse is averaging 86.3 points per contest over the three-game winning streak. The Orange are coming off their highest scoring output (94 points) and top shooting performance (37-of-62, .597) of the campaign.
Sophomore Tyler Betsey posted career highs in points (18) and 3-pointers made (six) in the most recent win over the Seminoles. He has made nine-of-his-last-12 3-point attempts.
Senior J.J. Starling has been red-hot over the past two contests, shooting a combined 14-of-21 (.667) from the floor. He put up 15 in the win over Florida State, including throwing down the game’s final bucket with an emphatic dunk to secure the win.
Junior Naithan George is among the nation’s top facilitators, dishing out 99 assists this season. Since starting ACC-play, he has racked up 35 assists for an average of 8.8 per game, both of which lead the conference. Over the last two games, he has shelled out 24 assists including a career-high 13 against Florida State. The junior guard is also averaging 10.0 points per game over the last four games and has knocked down 18-of-21 (.857) of his attempts from the free-throw line during that stretch.
The Syracuse Block Party
The Syracuse defense surrenders just 66.9 points per game, the third best mark in the conference.
A major reason for its opponents’ offensive struggles is Syracuse’s shot-blocking ability. The Orange rank second nationally in blocks per game at 6.71, trailing only Georgia (7.41), and lead the ACC in the category. That rim protection has contributed to opponents shooting just .402 from the field and .311 from beyond the arc against Syracuse.
Senior William Kyle III plays a central role in the defense, particularly down low. Kyle III ranks first in the ACC and fourth in the nation in total blocks with 49. He has nine games this year where he swatted three blocks or more, including two contests where he racked up six.
Kyle III contributes on the offensive end too, owning a team high 36 dunks this year to contribute to his 9.8 scoring average.
Meanwhile, George has picked up 26 steals this season to lead the Orange. He has notched at least one steal in 11 consecutive games and had two in the win over the Seminoles.
Scouting Boston College
Boston College enters the weekend on a four-game skid and in search of its first ACC win of the 2025-26 campaign.
Despite the slow start to conference play, the Eagles are among the ACC’s top defensive teams, giving up 68.2 points per game, the sixth best mark in the league. Their defense has been stingy at the Conte Forum too, where the Eagles are yielding just 62.7 points per contest.
Donald Hand Jr., the ACC’s ACC Most Improved Player in 2024-25, is producing an average of 14.4 points per game thus far.
Fred Payne is close behind, averaging 14.1 points per game while having dished out a team-high 47 assists. He has scored 20 points or more over his last three games while shooting 23-of-45 (.511) from the field over the stretch. He has made opponents pay from beyond the arc as well, hitting 9-of-17 (.529) shots from 3-point range during the three games.
The Eagles have effectively protected the rim this season, ranking third in the ACC for blocked shots with 86. Boston College has a pair of players in the ACC’s top-10 block leaders with Jayden Hastings (28) and Aidan Shaw (25) both among the league’s best.
Boston College is under the leadership of head coach Earl Grant, who is now in his fifth season coaching for the Eagles. He has compiled a 68-82 record with Boston College. He piloted the Eagles to the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament in two of his first three seasons.
Grant is in his 12th year as a head coach, having served in the position at the College of Charleston for seven seasons. He won the CAA Championship in 2018 to punch the Cougars’ ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999.
Series History
Saturday’s meeting marks the 88th meeting between the two programs, with Syracuse owning a 60-27 lead in the all-time series.
Syracuse swept last year’s pairings with Starling leading the way in both affairs. Starling led the Orange to a 79-71 win on the road when he posted 26 points on 12-of-22 (.545) shooting. He followed up his road performance with 28 points in a 95-86 overtime victory at the JMA Wireless Dome. Hand Jr. kept the Eagles within reach in last year’s contests, scoring 20 points at home and 28 in the overtime loss.
Syracuse Tickets
Season and individual tickets are available at cuse.com/feature/basketball-tickets
