The schedule does not ease up for Syracuse, as they make their second straight road trip to face a ranked opponent, this time playing at #18 Virginia on Saturday. While the Orange (13-10, 4-6 ACC) have been struggled over the last three weeks, the Cavaliers (19-3, 8-2) have won eight of nine after dropping their conference opener with the only stumble coming at home against North Carolina.
It has been a quick turnaround this season for Virginia under new coach Ryan Odom. The Cavs finished under .500 last season after the sudden retirement of former coach Tony Bennett, but Odom seems to have quickly righted the ship.
While a strong all-around offensive team, the Cavaliers have one truly outstanding facet
Virginia is around the top 20 of the nation at KenPom in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiencies, making them one of the toughest opponents SU has seen this year. While they shoot the ball well, their greatest offensive strength has been collecting misses, as they are third in the nation in offensive rebounding rate.
That looks to be a significant advantage for the Cavaliers, as Syracuse has struggled to protect their own backboard, ranking outside the top 260 in defensive rebounding rate. Cleaning the glass will be paramount for the Orange…