Notre Dame Basketball: Staff Picks - Syracuse

Jeff Czerniakowski, Staff Writer (9-2 ND Games) (40-15 Bonus Picks)

Syracuse Orange vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Syracuse

“First, Notre Dame has struggled at the Carrier Dome. Second, the Irish are most likely without their two best players in Colson and Farrell. I would be surprised if this was even a close game.”

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Bobby Norell, Editor (9-2 ND Games) (34-21 Bonus Picks)

Syracuse Orange vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Syracuse

“No Bonzie. No Farrell. No win here. ND has never played well in the Carrier Dome and without their two best players that isn’t going to change. ‘Cuse wins this one big. Now since I’ve said this, Mike Brey will probably work his magic and somehow pull this one out. One last prediction from me...T.J. Gibbs explodes in this game and puts up some big numbers, but it won’t be enough.”

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Pat Rick, Editor (9-2 ND Games) (36-19 Bonus Picks)

Syracuse Orange vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Syracuse

“No BONZIE, no Farrell, and the team is coming down off the high of an emotional, record-setting win for Coach Brey. The Irish rarely win at the Carrier Dome, and the length and athleticism of this Syracuse team will be too much as the Orange will own the boards and play stifling zone defense, per usual. Martinas “The Bird Whisperer” Geben will get his usual rim-rattling dunk at some point in this one, but overall I think Cuse wins by double digits.”

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#21 Seton Hall Pirates at Butler Bulldogs - Butler

Ryan Kelley, Staff Writer (9-2 ND Games) (33-22 Bonus Picks)

Syracuse Orange vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Notre Dame

“I think this is the most torn I’ve been about picking a game all season. On one hand we have the Irish, without Colson and Farrell, who played 100 times better than I thought they would against NC State. On the other is Cuse, who lost to Wake Forest in its first ACC game and has only one decent win against Maryland. Just for the hell of it I’m going against my colleagues and taking the Irish and praying that TJ and DJ are the new dynamic duo to carry this team..”

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#21 Seton Hall Pirates at Butler Bulldogs - SHU

Brad Wechter, Editor (9-2 ND Games) (33-12 Bonus Picks)

Syracuse Orange vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Syracuse

“My faith in the Irish being at least competitive has been slightly restored by the NC State game, but I don’t think they have what it takes to go Syracuse and get a win.”

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#21 Seton Hall Pirates at Butler Bulldogs - Butler

Ryan Chichester, Staff Writer (9-2 ND Games) (34-21 Bonus Picks)

Syracuse Orange vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Syracuse

“Maybe the Irish can keep this one close (that’s a big maybe), but without Colson and Farrell, they lack the firepower needed to grab a conference road win. Syracuse wins this one.”

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#21 Seton Hall Pirates at Butler Bulldogs - SHU

Austin Gallagher, Staff Writer (8-3 ND Games) (36-19 Bonus Picks)

Syracuse Orange vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Syracuse

“The Irish showed some promise in Brey’s record setting win, but I don’t expect it to continue minus both Farrell and Colson. This Irish will come back down to Earth here against the Orange, and that entails a close loss in my opinion.”

BONUS PICKS

#12 North Carolina Tar Heels at #8 Virginia Cavaliers - UNC
#7 Oklahoma Sooners at #6 West Virginia Mountaineers - OU
#17 Kentucky Wildcats at #23 Tennessee Volunteers - UK
#10 Kansas Jayhawks at TCU Horned Frogs - KU
#21 Seton Hall Pirates at Butler Bulldogs - Butler