Halftime Report
After a tough loss on the road their last time out, Syracuse looks much better today on their home court. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Bucknell 43-31.
If Syracuse keeps playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 6-6 in no time. On the other hand, Bucknell will have to make due with a 4-9 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who’s Playing
Bucknell Bison @ Syracuse Orange
Current Records: Bucknell 4-8, Syracuse 5-6
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, December 28, 2024 at 2 p.m. ET
- Where: JMA Wireless Dome — Syracuse, New York
- TV: The CW Network
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $3.09
What to Know
The Syracuse Orange and the Bucknell Bison will round out the year against one another at 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at at JMA Wireless Dome. Both of these teams will be looking for a pick-me-up after considerable defeats in their previous games.
The experts predicted Syracuse would be headed in after a victory, but Maryland made sure that didn’t happen. Syracuse was dealt a punishing 87-60 loss at the hands of Maryland on Saturday. The match marked the Orange’s lowest-scoring game so far this season.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Donnie Freeman, who went 6 for 10 en route to 15 points plus seven rebounds. He had some trouble finding his footing against Georgetown two weeks ago, so this was a step in the right direction. The team also got some help courtesy of Elijah Moore, who went 7 for 11 en route to 16 points plus two steals.
Meanwhile, Bucknell’s recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Saturday after their sixth straight defeat. They found themselves the reluctant recipients of an 86-65 punch to the gut against Gonzaga. The Bison were surely aware of their disadvantage in the point spread, but the foreknowledge did nothing to prevent the result.
Syracuse has been struggling recently as they’ve lost four of their last five matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-6 record this season. As for Bucknell, their loss dropped their record down to 4-8.
Going forward, Syracuse is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 13.5 points. Currently 8-4 against the spread, Bucknell has been a solid investment this season; on the other hand, Syracuse is only 4-7 ATS.
Everything came up roses for Syracuse against Bucknell when the teams last played back in November of 2019, as the squad secured a 97-46 win. In that contest, Syracuse amassed a halftime lead of 51-26, an impressive feat they’ll look to repeat on Saturday.
Odds
Syracuse is a big 13.5-point favorite against Bucknell, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Orange as a 12.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 147.5 points.
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Series History
Syracuse won the only game these two teams have played in the last 5 years.
- Nov 23, 2019 – Syracuse 97 vs. Bucknell 46
