It will be a battle between ACC opponents when the Syracuse Orange (13-6, 2-4 ACC) welcome the Boston College Eagles (13-7, 3-4 ACC) to Carrier Dome. The game will air on ESPNU at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 24, 2018.
Syracuse opened as a 7-point favorite, while the Over/Under (O/U) for the game has been set at 131.5 points.
Boston College Eagles vs. Syracuse Orange Betting Prediction
The Eagles are hoping for a better outcome after their 77-69 loss to the Louisville Cardinals in their last matchup. Getting to the charity stripe was one of Louisville’s largest advantages. They had 31 free throw attempts, while Boston College had 19. Jerome Robinson was the top scorer from either team with 19 points on 8-for-16 shooting.
In the Orange’s last matchup, they beat the Pittsburgh Panthers, 59-45. The Orange forced 18 turnovers and held the Panthers to an offensive rebounding percentage of 14.8 (below their season average of 25.4). Franklin Howard was Syracuse’s leading scorer with 18 points on 5-for-14 shooting.
A focal point for the Syracuse offense is getting to the free throw line. The Orange rank 35th in free throw attempt (FTA) rate (0.289), but Boston College is among the best in the nation at keeping opponents away from the charity stripe (ranking 26th by yielding a FTA rate of 0.180).
Boston College holds records of 13-7 straight up (SU) and 8-6 against the spread (ATS). Of the Eagles’ 14 games that accepted bets, six have finished under, seven have finished over and one has pushed.
Syracuse has a solid 13-6 SU record, but they are just 7-10 ATS. Vegas is known to set the total high when the Orange are involved, as 58.8 percent of their games have ended under the O/U total.
Steffon Mitchell has averaged 11.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks over the last five games for Boston College.
After splitting two games last season, these teams will battle for the first time this year. The Orange won the most recent game 76-53. The Orange had a much better turnover percentage (8.3 vs. 27.5) and had a much better free throw rate (0.293 vs. 0.146).
Boston College Eagles at Syracuse Orange Free Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Syracuse, ATS Winner – Boston College, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
On the road, Boston College is 3-4 ATS with 4 unders, 2 overs and 1 push.
At home, Syracuse is 4-7 ATS with 9 unders and 2 overs.
Syracuse ranks 17th in steals per game (8.4) while Boston College ranks 209th (4.6).
The Orange average 39.8 rebounds per game, which ranks 28th in the NCAA. The Eagles rank 188th in rebounds allowed per game (36.4).
Boston College ranks 98th in three pointers attempted per game (23.6) while Syracuse ranks 250th (18.1).
The Eagles rank 130th in assists per game (13.8) while the Orange rank 231st (11.3).
Syracuse ranks 10th in blocks per game (6.0) while Boston College ranks 78th (3.9).
Bettings Trends:
In their last five games, Boston College is 3-2 ATS with 3 overs, 1 under and 1 push.
Syracuse is 1-4 ATS with 3 overs and 2 unders over their last five games.
The Eagles have been outscored by an average of 2.4 points in their last five games. For the season, Boston College has defeated opponents by an average of 5.2 points.
During their last five games, the Orange have scored an average of 65.2 points per game (4.8 below their season average) and allowed an average of 67.6 points per game (4.0 above their season average).
