Two schools that have struggled to find a rhythm early in the season will look for a marquee win when the LSU Tigers visit the Syracuse Orange as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge on Tuesday night.
Syracuse struggled against its elite competition in the first two rounds of the Maui Invitational, but put the hammer down against the Division II Chaminade Silverswords in a 105-56 win in its final game of the tournament. The Orange are now favored slightly in the college basketball odds over LSU, which has won three straight games but hasn’t looked impressive in any of them.
Cuse may have finally put together a complete game against Chaminade, but it will take a lot more to knock off a solid Tigers team, even with home-court advantage.
I’ll break down who has the edge in my free college basketball picks for LSU vs. Syracuse on November 28.
LSU vs Syracuse best odds
LSU vs Syracuse picks and predictions
Syracuse started the season 3-0, though it needed a massive second-half comeback to get past the Colgate Raiders at home. That boded poorly for the Maui Invitation, and losses against the Tennessee Volunteers and Gonzaga Bulldogs quickly showed the limitations of this Orange team.
Under new head coach Adrian Autry, Syracuse is still looking for a clear identity. The Orange are no longer relying on the 2-3 zone that was the hallmark of the Jim Boeheim era, and outside of Judah Mintz, they’re still looking for a second reliable scorer on the offensive end. The best candidate looks to be sophomore forward Chris Bell, who is averaging 13.7 points per game this season and scored 25 in the win over Colgate.
LSU has likewise lacked a real scoring punch this season, averaging 80 points per game against lackluster competition. But the Tigers have been solid on defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 40.4% from the field.
The one weakness has been on the perimeter — where they're allowing teams to shoot 35% from beyond the arc — but that shouldn’t be an issue against a Syracuse team that is hitting just 28.5% of its 3-pointers.
Neither of these teams has been particularly impressive this season. It’s tempting to look at Syracuse’s two losses and note it's against teams with national title aspirations, while LSU dropped games to the Dayton Flyers and the Nicholls Colonels. But while those are disappointing defeats for the Tigers, I think we can learn more from the wins these two teams have earned in the early going.
Of the two, only LSU has something approaching a quality win. The Tigers beat the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 86-80 in overtime earlier this month in the Charleston Classic. Forward Will Baker — LSU’s primary scoring threat — put up 23 points against Wake Forest, a team that hasn’t allowed more than 80 to any other opponent this season.
LSU is a slightly better, slightly more talented team, and certainly has an edge when it comes to experience in close games. That may come in handy tonight, as this figures to be a tight battle between two largely mediocre squads, especially with the Orange having a boost at home in the JMA Wireless Dome.
The Tigers opened this game as a favorite, and while that line has since flipped, I think the bookmakers had it right initially. With LSU now posted as the slightest of underdogs, I’m inclined to take the Tigers on the moneyline in a road game they should be able to win.
My best bet: LSU moneyline (+105 at BetMGM)
LSU vs Syracuse same-game parlay
LSU moneyline
Under 149.5
Will Baker 15+ points
I think the Tigers will win this game despite being a one-point underdog, which means we can get some added value on the moneyline. For my same-game parlay, let’s combine that with a play on the Under at 149.5 points. Neither of these teams has found much success offensively against quality opposition, and both sides play reasonable defense, so this game should stay Under the total.
If one player will be key to the Tigers’ success, it will be Will Baker. It’s clear Baker is the focal point of the LSU offense, and if the Tigers do win this game, it will be because their star gets his share of the scoring. I’m throwing in a bet on Baker to get 15+ points tonight to round out my SGP.
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LSU vs Syracuse spread and Over/Under analysis
LSU initially opened this game as a one-point road favorite. However, that line has flipped, and the consensus spread is now Syracuse -1.5. Some books have the Tigers as a slight favorite on that number, with the Orange available at -105 if you want to lay the points.
Syracuse is 1-5 against the spread this year, with the one win for bettors coming in the blowout over Chaminade. LSU has put up a 3-3 ATS record on the season.
The total for tonight’s game opened at 150.5 points, but that number has come down a bit at most sites with 149.5 becoming the consensus Over/Under. Most books have -110 on both sides, though I did see the Over at -105 on the market as of early Tuesday afternoon.
The Over has a 4-2 edge so far this year in LSU’s games. Meanwhile, Syracuse is an even 3-3 on the year for both the Over and the Under.
LSU vs Syracuse betting trend to know
Syracuse is 0-5 ATS against Division I opponents this season. Find more college basketball betting trends for LSU vs. Syracuse.
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LSU vs Syracuse game info
| Location: | JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY |
| Date: | Tuesday, November 28, 2023 |
| Tip-off: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN2 |
LSU vs Syracuse key injuries
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