Opponent Preview: What to know about No. 7 Tennessee, rest of the Allstate Maui Invitational field

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Syracuse has left as champions in each of its three prior appearances at the Allstate Maui Invitational, and on Monday, the Orange kickstart their fourth.

But prior to arriving in Hawaii, SU completed a 24-point comeback victory over Colgate on Nov. 14 — its largest since 1998. Fueled by forward Chris Bell’s career-high 25 points, and Judah Mintz’s 23, Syracuse ended a two-game losing streak against the Raiders in a 79-75 win.

“I’m just so proud of these guys,” Adrian Autry said postgame “They could’ve folded, but they didn’t.”

Now, the still-perfect Orange (3-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) are slated to take on No. 7 Tennessee (3-0, 0-0 Southeastern Conference) in the opening game of the Maui Invitational. The Volunteers have cruised past each of their three opponents in the young 2023 season, most recently defeating Wofford 82-61.

Here’s everything to know about SU’s first ranked opponent this year before Monday’s tip-off:

All-time series

The all-time series is tied at 3-3

Last time they played

Both sides last matched up on Jan. 19, 2002 when 7-9 Tennessee completed a 66-62 upset over then-No. 7 ranked Syracuse.

Despite shooting a lowly 34.4% from the field, the Volunteers built up a commanding 17-point lead at halftime. However, coming out of the break, SU rallied behind Preston Shumpert and DeShaun Williams’ 37 combined points to regain a slim advantage.

But Tennessee managed to weather the furious Syracuse comeback, led by first-time starter Jenis Grindstaff. The Volunteers’ guard notched a career-high 18 points, including two clutch free throws in the waning moments, to end the Orange’s seven-game winning streak.

KenPom odds

Tennessee has a 90% chance of winning, with a projected score of 80-66

The Volunteers’ report

It’s very hard to find any fault in Rick Barnes’ team this season. The Volunteers are extremely experienced, headlined by fifth-year players Santi Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James. They return star guard Zakai Zeigler from a torn ACL the year prior. And, in the offseason, Tennessee added Northern Colorado’s Dalton Knecht — who averages a team-high 19.7 points per game.

Though the sample size is small (just three games), Tennessee also ranks in KenPom’s top-25 for both offensive and defensive adjusted efficiency. As capable on defense as they are scoring the basketball, the Volunteers have held opponents to under 60 points on average this season while totaling over 80 in each contest.

Tennessee picks up most of its production off of middle-lane penetration before distributing to an uncontested outside shooter. Equipped with depth and multiple capable ball handlers, expect the Vols to punish Syracuse early and often if SU’s new-look man defense fails to stay in front of their assignments.

How Syracuse beats Tennessee

It’s no secret that the Orange will have to string together a near-perfect display Monday to defeat Tennessee. Offensively, SU needs to hit outside shots while flying around defensively to contest its opponents attempts. However, the key for Syracuse will lie in whether it can speed the Volunteers up.

In their opening three games, SU has outscored opponents on the fast break, 60-29. Its swift brand of play is spearheaded by Autry, who cites his team’s athleticism for their effectiveness in transition.

The best example of this was shown in Syracuse’s win over Colgate — where its 24-point comeback was fueled by steals, full-court presses and penetrating the paint. SU’s ability to quicken the pace of play in the final 10 minutes unhinged the Raiders’ prior control of the game. The visitors committed unforced turnovers (19) and a series of disoriented possessions at the JMA Wireless Dome leading to the Orange’s historic victory.

Stat to know: 23

Mintz leads the ACC with 23 points per game. And though he struggled momentarily against Colgate in SU’s last contest, Mintz recovered through aggressive downhill drives and efficient free-throw shooting (11-14).

Though Mintz has yet to showcase an improved outside jumper, his slashing capabilities to score at will as a point guard will translate into some much-needed baskets if Syracuse finds itself in a scoring drought.

Player to watch: Dalton Knecht, guard, No. 3

Knecht, a 6-foot-6 guard from Thornton, Colorado, has leapfrogged into being one of Tennessee’s go-to options offensively. Able to create off the dribble and hit catch-and-shoot threes consistently, he’s currently shooting almost 55 percent from the floor.

In his short career as a Volunteer, Knecht was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 13. He’s also showcased his sneaky athleticism with a thunderous jam against Michigan State in Tennessee’s exhibition game this season.

The road ahead…

No matter the result of Syracuse’s matchup with Tennessee, it will face either No. 2 Purdue or No. 11 Gonzaga.

Purdue’s high ranking begins with the return of its 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey. The former Naismith Player of the Year has started his 2023 campaign on a tear, averaging 20.7 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, Edey’s backcourt counterpart, Fletcher Loyer is a sophomore point guard with premier ball-handling skills and a deadly outside shot.

Gonzaga, on the other hand, will probably run its offense through Creighton transfer Ryan Nembhard. The guard sparked an unexpected Blue Jays run to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight and averaged 12.1 points and 4.8 assists per game. The Bulldogs also have found a surprise star in redshirt freshman Braden Huff, who has averaged 21 points on 75% shooting from the floor this season.

It’s no secret that the Orange have minimal chances of beating either Purdue or Gonzaga. Though SU’s uber athletic backcourt can hold its own against most in the country, and 7-foot-4 center Naheem McLeod matches up perfectly with Edey. Syracuse just isn’t a polished powerhouse poised to take on the nation’s best.

And if SU loses both of its opening two games, the Orange will play local college Chaminade University — their best chance at securing a victory at the Allstate Maui Invitational.