Syracuse continues Jekyll and Hyde season following blowout loss
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Syracuse has yo-yoed through the 2016-17 season, when at some points it looks like a Tournament lock, and then the next, NIT bound.
After upsetting No. 10 Duke at home on a buzzer-beater Wednesday, many thought that would be enough to earn a berth come March.
Those thoughts must have found their way to the Orange players, as Syracuse was shellacked 88-68 on Sunday against No. 7 Louisville.
For every marquee win Syracuse has secured, there have been equally poor losses to unranked opponents.
Unranked Losses
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| South Carolina | 64-50 |
| UConn | 52-50 |
| Georgetown | 78-71 |
| St. John's | 93-60 |
| Boston College | 96-81 |
| Virginia Tech | 83-73 |
| Pitt | 80-75 |
| Georgia Tech | 71-65 |
Then there are the blowout losses to ranked teams, which makes Syracuse look like it doesn't even belong in the same sentence as the best teams in the country.
Blowout Ranked Losses
| Rank | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Wisconsin | 77-60 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 85-68 |
| 15 | Notre Dame | 85-66 |
| 7 | Louisville | 88-68 |
In fact, the 20-point loss to the Cardinals is the worst differential in conference play since Syracuse joined the ACC in 2013-14, passing a 19-point defeat to Notre Dame earlier this season.
But for every poor loss, there have been equally impressive wins to keep the Orange in Tournament conversation.
Ranked Wins
| Rank | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Florida State | 82-72 |
| 9 | Virginia | 66-62 |
| 10 | Duke | 78-75 |
Even with the defeat to Louisville on Sunday, Syracuse ends the season at home against Georgia Tech, where the Orange look to avenge a six-point loss to the Yellow Jackets and remove any doubts as they head into the ACC conference tournament.