| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | +157 | +4.0 (-110) | O 144.0 (-110) |
| Auburn | -177 | -4.0 (-110) | U 144.0 (-110) |
Odds as of November 26th, 2021.
Jabari Smith had 14 points and Walker Kessler finished with his second straight double-double in Nassau as the Tigers closed out a nine-point victory against Loyola.
Meantime, Buddy Boeheim netted 23 and Jesse Edwards added a career-high 21 as the ‘Cuse made a 48-30 halftime hold up against Sparky in an eight-point win.
Fool Me Once …
Don’t look now, but Jim Boeheim’s ballclub has begun another typical Syracuse season. The Orange shot 54% against Sparky Thursday and scored in the 90s for the second time early in the 2021-22 campaign — once that has already seen them inscrutably lose twice. Alas, once again Buddy was front-and-center on Turkey Day.
The 6-foot-6 senior leads the team in scoring, with 20 point per game and has picked up where he left off last season — when he helped lead the ‘Cuse to another “surprising” trip to the Sweet 16. I say “surprising” because this is what Syracuse does: underperforms over the course of the season, but shows up when it counts. How Auburn guards the wing will be interesting Friday. His height gives him a major advantage over probable defenders KD Johnson or Zep Jasper — so look for Buddy to get loose again.
Another long-range sniper, Joseph Girard, is the team’s second-leading scorer at 16 points per contest. His dazzling shot-making is appointment television worthy, but his streakiness is a lingering wart on his offensive arsenal. As for down low, the 6-foot-11 Edwards went 9-of-11 from the field against the Sun Devils, which is certainly encouraging. Meantime, 6-foot-9 Villanova transfer Cole Swider is a floor spacing contingency play who is averaging 9.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Despite losses to Colgate and VCU, the Orange are still 14th in the country in offensive adjusted efficiency. But that’s the only category they rate in the top-25 in per KenPom on either side of the ball. Auburn appears to be the superior team in this spot, but one should never underestimate a Jim Boeheim-coached outfit.
War Eagle is No Turkey
Auburn is 26 spots higher than Syracuse in KenPom’s overall ratings and boasts a roster chock-full of players that will be playing at the next level shortly. That group starts with Smith, a 6-foot-10 forward. The freshman converted 7-of-9 shots against the Ramblers, including some back-to-the basket work and turning around to shoot over a defender.
That's two jab step jumpers from Jabari Smith in the last few min. Beautiful move with such a high release pic.twitter.com/5VsjdRJMzz
— Draft Dummies (@DraftDummies) November 25, 2021
The phenom from the Atlanta area is averaging 15.5 points (second on the team) and 8.0 rebounds (first on the team) per game after the first five games and had 22 points in the memorable 115-109 double-overtime loss to UConn.
Johnson had a team-high 27 in that one. Head coach Bruce Pearl has waxed poetic about Johnson this season, calling him dangerous and saying he has the ability to do things against the best players on Auburn’s schedule.
Auburn has delivered on both ends of the floor so far, ranking 27th in offensive adjusted efficiency and 35th in defensive adjusted efficiency. Even after allowing 115 points to the Huskies, the Tigers are still top-209 in defensive block percentage (16th) and defensive steal percentage (15th).
The Pick
This game really comes down to which Syracuse team shows up. Will it be the one that scored 92 points against Arizona State? Or the one that allowed 100 points to Colgate?
🗣 LET'S GO‼️ pic.twitter.com/zkLXx95fqn
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) November 26, 2021
Auburn, on the other hand, has been more consistent in the opening weeks of the season and was especially impressive against UConn in defeat — clawing back from a 15-point second-half hole to nearly pull out a miraculous victory several times over.
It’s hard to bet against Syracuse … in March. But this one is the day after Thanksgiving, so give me Auburn.
Pick: Auburn -4.0 (-110)
