The Syracuse Orange and the Pittsburgh Panthers are both on the fringe of the NCAA Tournament, so a solid showing in the ACC Tournament would help improve their chances. They face off in the first round on Wednesday in Washington, DC. Tip-off is at noon ET.
The Orange (19-12 SU, 15-15 ATS) struggled to end the season, losing four of their last five, so they desperately need to avoid a loss in the first round. Michael Gbinije led the way with 21 points in a 73-78 loss at Florida State to wrap up the regular season on March 5. Syracuse was outrebounded 43-26.
The Panthers didn't fare much better down the stretch as they lost three of their last four, including a 59-63 loss at Georgia Tech. Michael Young dropped 24 points to pace the Panthers, who were 0-for-11 from three-point land and outscored 34-23 in the second half.
Pittsburgh has won six and lost four of their last 10 meetings with Syracuse. The first meeting of the season was a 72-61 win for Pittsburgh at home on December 30, then they gained the sweep with a 66-52 win at Syracuse on February 20.
NCAAB : Syracuse, Pittsburgh Square Off in ACC Tournament Opener
The ACC Tournament tips off with the Pittsburgh Panthers taking on the Syracuse Orange on Wednesday. A win would go a long way for both teams' NCAA Tournament chances.
Both teams had their problems down the homestretch. The Panthers lost three of four heading into the ACC Tournament, and the Orange have lost four of the last five. The Panthers have the edge in the head-to-head series as they've won four straight against the Orange, but it is incredibly tough to beat a team three times in one season. The losing team will have a nerve-wracking time on Selection Sunday.
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