Clemson vs Syracuse Odds & Prediction: Tigers Have Value

The two ACC teams with orange logos, the Syracuse Orange and the Clemson Tigers, face off in New York on Saturday.

Clemson finally found its stride at the right time after beating North Carolina in Chapel Hill earlier this week.

While the Tigers have six ACC losses, three came by one possession. The luck was bound to shift at some point, and perhaps beating UNC would provide a nice little jolt.

Forward PJ Hall is enjoying a terrific senior season, tallying over 20 points per game and seven boards per contest. He's fresh off a game where he dominated North Carolina's frontcourt for 40 minutes, so surely Cuse's hodgepodge of bigs will keep Hall going.

The most positive aspect of Clemson's profile is offense. The Tigers sit 18th in offensive efficiency, boasting a top-60 effective field goal percentage and the top turnover rate in the ACC. Another positive aspect of Clemson's offense is perimeter shooting — attempting triples on 39% of field goals, and connecting on 35% of 'em.

Plus, hello, it's a revenge game for Joe Girard!

He spent four seasons calling the Carrier Dome his home court, and now he'll waltz into the visiting locker room with less cozy chairs and a temporary locker. I know some don't buy into the revenge game aspect, but it's akin to a salesman trying to out-sell his former employer. It's the same thing! I'm expecting a big outing from Girard.

Syracuse is coming off a 1-2 stretch with losses against Boston College and Wake Forest, alongside a buzzer-beating win over lowly Louisville.

Things aren't trending right for Syracuse in Red Autry's first season at the helm. He booted Benny Williams, a real rotation player, from the team more than halfway through the season. Typically, booting a player this late into the season isn't a sign of good things. Losing Williams also shortened Cuse's depth to just six total players.

Syrcause's elite defense kept them afloat for much of the season until the past three games, allowing more than 90 in two of the three and 80 in the other. The Orange already have an awful offense, so turning into a mediocre defense makes winning difficult.

The one positive defender is Maliq Brown, who secured five steals and five blocks a piece in Cuse's win over Louisville. It takes four other players to complete a defensive unit, but Brown is a tone-setter.

Offensively, Syracuse has scuffled all season long, ranking 135th in offensive efficiency and second-to-last in the ACC in the same metric during conference play. It's just a different offense than we're used to seeing in the past.

The biggest problem? Cuse can't shoot. The Orange connect on just 31% of perimeter jumpers, and the best players, Judah Mintz and JJ Starling, shoot below 32% from 3.

What Mintz does provide is elite driving and play-making prowess. The 6-foot-4 sophomore averages 18 points and four assists per contest. He'll need another strong performance against the growling Tigers.

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While many teams have struggled on the road, Clemson isn't one of them.

I mean, going into Durham and Chapel Hill and looking completely unphased speaks to the confidence of this Clemson team.

Syracuse's home court doesn't hold a candle to other environments Cuse thrived in. So, I'm backing the better team with a short line despite moving into road territory.

Rebounding and lack of turnovers give me plenty of reason to like Clemson in this spot.

I get it: the dreaded letdown spot. But I still think Clemson holds some decent value right now, and the win over UNC isn't some flash in the pan.

Pick: Clemson -1.5 (Play to -2.5)

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