The 4th seeded Syracuse Orange are set to take on the 1st seeded Indiana Hoosiers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles tonight. The game starts at 7:35 pm EST and will air on TBS.
Syracuse sonned 13th seed Montana 81-34 before taking down California in the Round of 32. There well-oiled machine of a zone defense has propelled them this far in the tournament.
Indiana continued the tradition of 1 over 16s with a win over James Madison (83-62) before squeezing out a close game against 9 seed Temple.
Keys to the Matchup for Syracuse: Get In Cody Zeller's Way
Indiana may have the shooting prowess to take out Syracuse's much-lauded half-court zone/trap hybrid, but that doesn't mean the Orange should make it easy. Zeller likes to cut to the basket but has trouble making plays over really big big men. Syracuse has those. Make Zeller fear the paint and you might have a win on your hands.
Keys To The Matchup for Indiana: Force Those Bigs To Shoot
Luckily, Indiana has already proven to be a defense that causes the big guys to put up uncomfortable mid-range shots. Syracuse's bigs can't shoot, so this works out especially well for the Hoosiers. If they can disrupt the screens and handoffs that constitute the Orange's offense, look for an easy win from the Hoosiers.
When: 9:45 pm EST
Where: Washington, D.C.
Spread: Syracuse +5 ½
Watch: CBS
© 2025 Mstars News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.