[2:00 PM] South Carolina v. #18 Syracuse

Who will WIN this matchup?

South Carolina Gamecocks (5-0)

#18 Syracuse Orange (4-0)

 

• The Orange have won their first four games by 28, 44, 21 and most recently a 42-point triumph against South Carolina State. Andrew White III scored a team-high 15 points while three of his teammates registered a double-double.

• The Gamecocks also posted a big win against South Carolina State (92-50) and followed up that victory with a suffocating 61-46 triumph versus No. 24 Michigan on Wednesday.

• Sindarius Thornwell posted a team-best 21 points against Michigan – right on his 20.8 scoring average – and also grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds. Thornwell has made multiple 3-pointers in every game and has not been held below 18 points all year as his scoring, shooting and overall activity appear to be much improved from his junior season. Duane Notice (11.2 points) is another reliable 3-point shooter, while Chris Silva (10.2) is shooting 63 percent from the floor and has shot at least 60 percent in every game this season.

• The Orange defense has held opponents to 52.5 points and 29.2 percent shooting this season and the offense has been a balanced attack led by White, a fifth-year transfer from Nebraska. White (17.3 points) has made nearly 40 percent of his 3-pointers, although amazingly that ranks last among the seven Orange players who have made at least one 3 this season. Freshman Tyus Battle (7-of-14), sophomore Frank Howard (7-of-12), sophomore Tyler Lydon (6-of-13) and graduate transfer John Gillon (6-of-14) are all of to scorching starts from outside the arc.

• Both teams have been outstanding in defending 3-pointers, as Syracuse is allowing its opposition to shoot 19.2 percent from the arc and South Carolina’s opponents are shooting 23.1 percent from long range.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: #18 Syracuse Orange

Confidence: 5/10

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