Preview: Notre Dame at Syracuse in ACC Men’s Basketball

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking to halt slides in Atlantic Coast Conference play will meet Saturday when the Syracuse Orange host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Carrier Dome.

Both teams enter with identical 11-win overall records, though Syracuse (11-9) holds a slight edge in conference positioning over Notre Dame (11-10). Each squad is looking to rebound from a loss in its last outing, part of a broader struggle to find consistency in league action.

The Fighting Irish are coming off a draining 100-97 double-overtime loss to Virginia on Tuesday. Notre Dame has lost six of its last seven games, with the lone win a 68-64 victory over Boston College on Jan. 24. Guard Cole Certa is Notre Dame’s primary offensive threat, coming off a career-high 34-point performance in 40 minutes against the Cavaliers. His scoring has been volatile, however, with single-digit outputs in four of the eight games preceding his breakout.

Syracuse has lost four consecutive games, including a 88-68 road defeat at North Carolina State on Tuesday. Forward Donnie Freeman has been a bright spot during the skid, averaging 17.8 points per game over the last five contests. He recorded a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds in an overtime loss at Boston College on Jan. 17 and scored 24 in the loss to the Wolfpack.

The matchup will feature Notre Dame’s Certa and Syracuse’s Freeman as focal points. How each team’s supporting cast responds may determine the outcome. For Notre Dame, Jalen Haralson, who had 20 points and seven assists against Virginia, will need to provide secondary scoring. For Syracuse, guard JJ Starling, who had 17 points against NC State, must help alleviate the scoring burden on Freeman.

The game is the only regular-season meeting scheduled between the programs this season. Following this contest, Syracuse faces a quick turnaround with a road game at North Carolina on Monday. Notre Dame’s next game is at Louisville on Feb. 4.

Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the Carrier Dome.