Syracuse (5-3) takes on Boston University (4-5) on Saturday at noon in the Carrier Dome. After the Orange’s two-point loss to Connecticut on Monday, head coach Jim Boeheim called his offense “horrendous.” SU has now lost three of its last four and looks to right the ship against the Terriers.

Here’s everything you need to know about BU.

All-time series: Syracuse leads, 6-1.

Last time they played: Syracuse and BU squared off in another early December nonconference matchup on Dec. 3, 1993 with the Orange taking an 89-70 victory at home. Forward John Wallace led SU in scoring that game with 17 points. Current Syracuse assistant coach Adrian Autry also started in that contest.

The Boston University report: The Terriers have lost four straight, but included in those were a two-point loss to Connecticut on the road (SU also lost to Connecticut by two) and a four-point loss to North Carolina State in Raleigh. Boston University ranks as the 180th best team in the nation, per Kenpom.com. The Terriers have lost only one game by more than 10 points and rank as the 333rd luckiest team in the country, per Kenpom. The luck rating is based on a comparison between a team’s win percentage and its game-to-game efficiencies. As a result of close games, BU’s 4-5 record isn’t as good as it could be.

Only one player — guard Eric Fanning (13.1 points per game) — on Boston University averages double-digit points. Not a single player is averaging more than 27 minutes per game. If BU does get the win, it’ll likely be a result of death by a thousand cuts rather than one person taking over.

How Boston University beats Syracuse: The Orange’s offense has been “horrendous” of late, Boeheim said on Monday. As of now, the offense is still a work in progress after scoring 60 or fewer points in three of its last four games. BU, meanwhile, makes 56.4 percent of its 2-point attempts, which ranks 32nd in the country. Syracuse’s opponents are shooting just 25.3 percent from 3 this season, giving SU the fifth best 3-point defense in the country. It’ll likely be tough for BU to shoot from deep given its reliance on 2-pointers and SU’s sharp perimeter defense. Syracuse, though, has been outscored in the paint 96-50 in the past four games. The best way for Boston University to upset the Orange would be to get inside and win the battle in the paint.

Stat to know: 104.4 — Boston University’s adjusted defensive efficiency rating, per Kenpom, which ranks 205th in the country. If BU’s defense doesn’t improve, Syracuse could break out of its offensive slump.

Player to watch: Eric Fanning, guard, No. 3

The 6-foot-5, 215-pound senior guard is the Terriers’ most impressive player. He leads the team with 13.1 points per game and is second with five and a half boards per contest. In addition to the basics, he shoots 56.5 percent on 2-point field goals. Fanning also ranks 49th nationwide in percentage of possessions used, according to Kenpom. The metric measures how many possessions ended with a play Fanning made. He’s been used on 30.8 percent of BU’s possessions this season.

Published on December 9, 2016 at 8:29 pm

Contact Paul: pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds