Syracuse @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 19, 2019 ) Pittsburgh 63, Syracuse 74

Syracuse has split the first two games of its three-game road trip, which concludes Saturday with a matchup against Pittsburgh. The teams met in the Carrier Dome last month with the Orange emerging with a 74-63 win behind Tyus Battle's 22 points.

The Panthers shot only 33.8 percent in that meeting and had 17 turnovers against the Orange's 2-3 zone defense. "Their zone took us out of any sort of rhythm," Pitt coach Jeff Capel said that night. "We could never get into a rhythm offensively, and I thought our inexperience and immaturity really hurt us." The earlier win over Pitt was part of a 4-1 stretch for Syracuse in its last five games, including a six-point road win over Boston College its last time out. Battle had a much-needed 31 points in that one after totaling 20 points in his previous two games.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT SYRACUSE (15-6, 6-2 ACC): The team began its road trip with a 22-point loss at Virginia Tech before rebounding to edge BC thanks to some uncharacteristic hot shooting. The Orange, who only shoot 43 percent from the field and roughly 33 percent from the arc as a team, connected on nearly 56 percent from the field and just over 42 percent from the 3-point line against the Eagles, led by Battle (11-of-7, 4-of-8). Elijah Hughes is mired in a mini-funk, having scored more than 10 points only once in his last four games after registering at least double-digit points in 15 of his previous 16 outings.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (12-9, 2-6): The Panthers have lost four games in a row, although the stretch has featured a home date with mighty Duke and three road ACC games. The team trailed 51-23 at halftime against Clemson in its last game and ended up losing by 13 in suffering its 16th straight ACC road loss. "They got off to a great start and we gave them no resistance," said Capel, whose squad was led by freshman Xavier Johnson's 30 points on 10-of-14 shooting.

TIP-INS

1. Over the last six games, Syracuse G Buddy Boeheim is 15-of-27 from the 3-point line. Prior to that, he was 8-of-38 from long range.

2. Aside from Johnson, the other four Pitt starters shot 7-of-33 in the first matchup.

3. In his last four games, Panthers G Trey McGowens has 13 turnovers and only four assists.

PREDICTION: Syracuse 66, Pittsburgh 62