Florida State vs Syracuse Odds, Picks and Predictions: Orange Hold the Upper Hand at Home

The Syracuse Orange will look to build on a two-game winning streak as they host the Florida State Seminoles in an ACC matchup on Tuesday night.

Syracuse (12-5) is coming off a dramatic win over the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday. The Orange are once again a favorite in the college basketball odds over Florida State (11-7), which lost at home to Clemson over the weekend.

With each team on the outside looking in when it comes to their March Madness odds, this is a critical game for both sides. We’ll break down who has the edge in our free college basketball picks and predictions for Florida State vs. Syracuse on January 23.

Florida State vs Syracuse best odds

Florida State vs Syracuse picks and predictions

Fans of the Syracuse Orange might be uncertain as to why they aren’t already in the NCAA Tournament conversation. They've played a relatively strong schedule by most metrics, boast a strong overall record, and are coming off a signature win over Miami. 

The problem is that Syracuse has yet to beat a top team. The ACC is having a down year, and when the Orange have run into tough opponents, they’ve been blown out, losing to both Duke and North Carolina by 20+ points.

Syracuse does rank No. 13 in the RPI and also has a difficult schedule coming up down the stretch. That means that for the Orange to make a tournament run, they’ll have to win all the games they’re considered competitive in, and that starts on Tuesday against the Florida State Seminoles.

The Orange aren’t deep on weapons, but they have one imposing figure in sophomore guard Judah Mintz. The 6-foot-4 Mintz is averaging 17.9 points per game and has reached double digits in each of his last 10 games.

However, Syracuse’s success has primarily come on the defensive side of the ball. The Orange are holding opponents to just 30.2% from behind the 3-point line, and despite playing at a quick pace, are allowing just 71.7 ppg.

That should pose some issues for an underwhelming Seminoles offense that is shooting a measly 43.9% from the floor. Like Syracuse, Florida State plays quickly, which tends to mask its offensive shortcomings by adding possessions to the game. However, a deeper look at the numbers shows that this is an inefficient team that can’t rely on shooting beyond the arc — where the Seminoles are shooting just 32.6% this season.

Florida State doesn’t have a go-to scoring option, with forward Jamir Watkins (13.2 ppg) being the top scorer on the team this year. That’s a shortcoming that hurt the Seminoles against Clemson on Saturday and will be a problem again tonight as they visit Syracuse, which has only run into problems against some of the most talented offenses on its schedule this season.

This looks like a game in which the Orange will be able to handle anything Florida State throws at them. At home, Syracuse is 9-0 on the year and looks to be a slightly better team on paper tonight.

I’m taking the Orange and laying the points.

My best bet: Syracuse -3.5 (-105 at FanDuel)

Florida State vs Syracuse same-game parlay

Syracuse -3.5

Under 50.5

Judah Mintz Over 17.5 points

+550 at DraftKings

I’m taking Syracuse to cover the spread tonight, and that’s also the start of my same-game parlay tonight. I’m pairing that pick with the Under at 150.5 points. While these teams like to play fast, they’re both better on defense, and the Orange have played Under that total in each of their last three wins.

We’ll round out our SGP with a bet on Mintz to go Over his scoring prop at 17.5 points. Mintz has gone over this total in six of his last 10 games and has only started to score less recently due to an uncharacteristic shooting slump. If Mintz plays to his normal ability tonight, I love him to hit the Over.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Florida State vs Syracuse spread and Over/Under analysis

Syracuse opened tonight’s game as a four-point favorite at most books. As of mid-day Tuesday, sites are split between making the Orange a 3/3.5-point favorite for this matchup.

Florida State has played well against the spread this year, putting up a 10-8 ATS record on the year. Syracuse hasn’t covered for bettors nearly as much, going just 7-10 ATS.

The total tonight opened at 149.5 points. Some sites are still at that number, but the consensus Over/Under has risen to 150.5, with -110 offered on both sides of the market.

The Seminoles have played Over the number this year, with the Over posting a 10-7-1 record in Florida State’s games. Meanwhile, the Orange have seen the Under go 9-7-1 in their games on the season.

We have two conflicting elements when it comes to playing the total tonight. Both teams like to push the pace, which tends to raise the final score. However, neither side plays that well offensively from an efficiency perspective, while each boasts a solid defense.

I expect that the defensive toughness will prevail, especially when it comes to an Orange defense facing a Seminoles unit that lacks any consistent scoring threats. I’m leaning towards the Under.

Florida State vs Syracuse betting trend to know

Syracuse is 9-0 straight up at home this season. Find more college basketball betting trends for Florida State vs. Syracuse.

Florida State vs Syracuse game info

Florida State vs Syracuse key injuries

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