Buddy Boeheim’s got 55 points in two tournament games for a No. 11 Syracuse Orange club shooting 53.5 per cent from the field. It’s trouble for the No. 2 Houston Cougars that just survived a scare from the tenth-seeded Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the Round of 32. The Orange and Cougars will conclude Saturday’s Sweet Sixteen slate, facing off in a Midwest Region with the two, eight, 11, and 12 seeds remaining.

Tip-off at Hinkle Fieldhouse is scheduled for 9:55 p.m. EST.

Syracuse Orange vs. Houston Cougars NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting

Although it might be the Orange coming in with maximum confidence, it’s Houston entering on a nine-game winning streak and a 14-5 against the spread record over their last 19. Syracuse meanwhile has covered in six straight games and their last seven contests in March.

Oddsmakers have Houston as a 6-point favourite over Syracuse and the total set at 140. If this confirms anything it’s that Syracuse will go out guns blazing — 15 of their last 20 games as an underdog have gone over the total. Both teams have hit one over and one under this tournament.

Syracuse Orange

Jim Boeheim’s club is on a quite a run and his son Buddy is at the forefront. Boeheim’s 25 points against West Virginia led all scorers last Sunday. It also marked his fourth straight game in which he’s hit at least five three-pointers while shooting at least 50 per cent from the arc. He’s now made 29 triples in six games this month and is averaging 26 points per game.

Boeheim isn’t the only sharpshooter on the ‘Cuse, as sophomore guard Joseph Girard III also has seven made three-pointers in his last two games while averaging 12 points this tournament. The 2-3 zone has been working for the most part too, but West Virginia did score 72 on Syracuse in a three-point loss so a well-coached offence can still get theirs.

Houston Cougars

Without a gutsy effort from DeJon Jarreau last weekend, the Cougars might not be here. The senior guard left it all on the floor last Sunday, playing through a hip pointer that kept him out of most of Houston’s 87-56 tournament-opening win over Cleveland State. Jarreau went on to start against Rutgers in the Round of 32 and post 17 points and five rebounds on six-of-12 shooting.

Junior guard Quentin Grimes was the only other Cougar starter with at least four points against Rutgers, scoring a game-high 22 to go with nine rebounds and two steals. Grimes has led Houston in scoring in both their tournament games, scoring 18 in their Round of 64 match.

March Madness Score Prediction: Who Will Win Orange vs. Cougars?

Injuries

Syracuse

Alan Griffin (F)

Ques Tues Illness - 16 / 01 / 21

Frank Anselem (C)

Out indefinitely Illness - 06 / 01 / 21

Robert Braswell (F)

Ques Tues Leg - 07 / 12 / 20

Chad Owens (F)

Out indefinitely Undisclosed - 07 / 12 / 20

Buddy Boeheim (G)

Out indefinitely Illness - 03 / 12 / 20

Robert Braswell (F)

Ques Thurs Leg - 02 / 12 / 20

Bourama Sidibe (C)

Mid March Knee - 27 / 11 / 20

Houston

J'Wan Roberts (F)

Ques Fri Thumb - 07 / 03 / 21

Quentin Grimes (G)

Prob Sun Ankle - 28 / 01 / 21

Caleb Mills (G)

Out indefinitely Personal - 03 / 01 / 21

Caleb Broodo (C)

Out indefinitely Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 20

Ryan Elvin (G)

Out indefinitely Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 20

Marcus Sasser (G)

Prob Tues Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 20

Cameron Tyson (G)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 20

Caleb Mills (G)

Ques Sat Ankle - 05 / 12 / 20

Jamal Shead (G)

Ques Sun Illness - 27 / 11 / 20

Reggie Chaney (F)

out for season Eligibility - 30 / 10 / 20

Injuries

Syracuse

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Alan Griffin (F)	Ques Tues	Illness - 16 / 01 / 21	10-8	10-8	+ -
Griffin exited the previous game due to illness, and it is unknown if he will face Miami-Florida on Tuesday.
Frank Anselem (C)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 06 / 01 / 21	10-10	10-10	+ -
Anselem is out of the lineup with either contracting COVID-19 or contact tracing, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Robert Braswell (F)	Ques Tues	Leg - 07 / 12 / 20	-	-	+ -
Braswell is fighting off a leg injury, and his availability for Tuesday's game versus Rutgers is in question.
Chad Owens (F)	Out indefinitely	Undisclosed - 07 / 12 / 20	-	-	+ -
Owens is sidelined due to an unspecified injury, and team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Buddy Boeheim (G)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 03 / 12 / 20	-	-	+ -
Boeheim is going through COVID-19 protocol due to contact tracing, and he is without a definitive timetable for return.
Robert Braswell (F)	Ques Thurs	Leg - 02 / 12 / 20	-	-	+ -
Braswell is laid up with a lower leg injury, and his status for Thursday's game versus Niagara is up in the air.
Bourama Sidibe (C)	Mid March	Knee - 27 / 11 / 20	-	-	+ -
Sidibe is recovering from surgery to fix a torn meniscus, and is expected to miss at least four weeks.

Houston

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
J'Wan Roberts (F)	Ques Fri	Thumb - 07 / 03 / 21	5-4	4-5	+ -
Roberts is tending to a thumb injury, and it is unknown if he will be active for the first round of the American Athletic tournament.
Quentin Grimes (G)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 28 / 01 / 21	12-6	10-8	+ -
Grimes missed the last game due to an ankle injury, but it is anticipated that he will play against SMU on Sunday.
Caleb Mills (G)	Out indefinitely	Personal - 03 / 01 / 21	15-8	12-11	+ -
Mills will be away from the team indefinitely for personal reasons.
Caleb Broodo (C)	Out indefinitely	Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 20	17-9	13-13	+ -
Broodo has been sidelined with an undefined ailment, and it is unknown when he will return.
Ryan Elvin (G)	Out indefinitely	Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 20	17-9	13-13	+ -
Elvin has been absent from the lineup with an unlisted injury, and it is uncertain when he will return to the fold.
Marcus Sasser (G)	Prob Tues	Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 20	17-9	13-13	+ -
Sasser was held out of the last game with an unspecified issue, but it is projected that he will take the court Tuesday versus Temple.
Cameron Tyson (G)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 20	17-9	13-13	+ -
Tyson has missed the last three games due to COVID-19 protocols, and it remains to be seen if he will be available Tuesday versus Tulsa.
Caleb Mills (G)	Ques Sat	Ankle - 05 / 12 / 20	19-9	14-14	+ -
Mills has sat out the previous three games with an ankle injury, and it is undetermined if he will suit up against UCF on Saturday.
Jamal Shead (G)	Ques Sun	Illness - 27 / 11 / 20	-	-	+ -
Shead sat out the last game with an illness, and it is unknown if he will suit up against Texas Tech on Sunday.
Reggie Chaney (F)	out for season	Eligibility - 30 / 10 / 20	-	-	+ -
Chaney is not going to compete in the 2020-21 season due to NCAA eligibility rules.