Syracuse vs. Florida State Prediction, Odds & Score Picks: ACC Tournament First Round Best Bets Tonight
Neither Syracuse nor Florida State appears poised for a deep run this March, but as NC State proved last year, a hot streak in the ACC Tournament can change everything.
In this first-round clash, we’ll break down our Syracuse vs. Florida State prediction, odds, and expert picks. While last year’s NC State team opened as a No. 10 seed, both Florida State (No. 11) and Syracuse (No. 14) have a steeper road ahead this year. The odds are close, with Florida State favored by just 3.5 points.
Tipoff for tonight’s game is set for 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
📈 Syracuse vs. Florida State odds movement for tonight
Florida State opened as a 2.5-point favorite against Syracuse with the line at our best sports betting sites moving to -3.5 for the Seminoles as tip approaches. Despite Florida State being favored, 57% of the public are backing the Orange to cover the spread.
💰 Syracuse vs. Florida State predictions, expert picks & best bets: ACC tournament first round for tonight
Here are my best Syracuse vs. Florida State predictions, expert picks, and best bets today for the first round of the ACC tournament with my pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale. Be sure to check out the rest of our college basketball picks along with our guide on how to bet on college basketball.
- Against the spread pick: Syracuse +3.5 (-110 via BetMGM) vs. Florida State ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- My best player prop bet: J.J. Starling Over 15.5 Points (-125 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Exact score prediction: Syracuse 77, Florida State 72 - Syracuse Team Total Over 73.5 (-105 via ESPN BET) ⭐⭐⭐
👉 Check out our latest March Madness projections with our SBR Bracketology ahead of the NCAA Tournament!
🏀 Syracuse vs. Florida State ATS prediction & best player prop bet pick
Here's why I'm betting on Syracuse to cover the spread (+3.5) while targeting J.J. Starling Over 15.5 points as my best player prop bet pick for today:
✅ Syracuse to cover the spread (+3.5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It’s been a tale of two seasons for Florida State and Syracuse. From the beginning of the year to Feb. 1, Florida State was 13-8 and a top-80 team, per Bart Torvik. Meanwhile, 9-12 Syracuse was outside the top 100. Since then, Syracuse has gone 4-6 while climbing into the top 80 while 4-6 Florida State has fallen outside the top 120.
The difference for Syracuse has been a reinvigorated offense. Its offensive efficiency rating of 118.1 since Feb. 1 ranks 40th, and its 38.6% 3-point percentage ranks 43rd. With Florida State allowing opponents to shoot 33.8% from beyond the arc through that sample, 166th in the NCAA, Syracuse has a meaningful advantage.
The Seminoles’ struggles to sink shots from downtown opens up a problem in this matchup. Florida State’s 3-point percentage since Feb. 1 clocks in at just 30.5%, which ranks 301st. Getting behind early could be that much more of a problem should the Seminoles fail to convert that many of their long-range opportunities.
📊 Best odds: -110 via BetMGM (bet $10 to win $9.09)
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🔥 J.J. Starling Over 15.5 Points ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Seminoles have been giving up plenty of points to opposing teams’ guards, especially over their recent slump. In their last regular-season game, SMU’s leading scorer (also a guard), Boopie Miller, dropped 16, beating his average of 13.4. They coughed up 19 to Duke’s Isaiah Evans, who averaged 7.7, as well as 20 to UNC’s R.J. Davis, who averaged 17.3.
Syracuse’s offense runs through guard J.J. Starling, who is averaging a team-best 17.5 points per game this year. He has been a bit cold from the floor lately, but his end-of-season schedule included some tricky road games and a contest vs. slow, defensive-minded Virginia. Look for him to get back on track against Florida State tonight.
📊 Best odds: -125 via FanDuel (bet $10 to win $8)
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🎯 Expert Syracuse vs. Florida State score prediction & AI projections
🔮 Expert score prediction: Syracuse 77, Florida State 72
🤖 AI score prediction: Florida State 80, Syracuse 73
🔮 Expert score prediction: Syracuse 77, Florida State 72
With Syracuse looking better than Florida State over the tail end of ACC play, I’m excited about backing it cover - and win - in this spot. But if you share my optimistic outlook for its offense but are skeptical of its defense, the team total is another avenue to value.
The best sports betting sites are all in consensus with the ‘Cuse total set to 73.5, but you can find the set to odds of between -117 at BetRivers and -105 at ESPN BET. Syracuse has cleared the 73.5-point threshold in its last four games and seven of its last 10.
Importantly, Syracuse also beat this number against Florida State in January despite worse offensive form and an uncompetitive game script. The Seminoles were only able to keep Syracuse to 40% from beyond the arc in that game.
📊 Best odds: -105 via ESPN BET (bet $10 to win $9.52)
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🤖 AI score prediction: Florida State 80, Syracuse 73
(Score prediction and analysis via ChatGPT - a large language model from OpenAI not specifically designed for predicting sporting events)
🖥️ AI predictions for Syracuse vs. Florida State
Florida State’s superior offense, Syracuse’s turnover struggles, and the Seminoles’ ability to capitalize on mistakes give them the edge in this matchup - the projected final score is Florida State 80, Syracuse 73.
- Win probability: Florida State 65% | Syracuse 35%
- Projected total points: 153
- Key takeaways:
- Florida State’s offensive edge – The Seminoles scored 90 points in their previous meeting with Syracuse and should find success again against a weak Orange defense that struggles to contain perimeter shooting.
- Turnover battle favors FSU – Syracuse has one of the worst turnover rates in the ACC, while Florida State thrives in forcing mistakes and converting them into transition points.
- Syracuse’s rebounding is their X-factor – The Orange are strong on the offensive glass, which could help them stay in the game by generating second-chance opportunities.
🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI score prediction leans toward Florida State covering the spread (-3.5) and a total of Over 149.5 points, as both teams have defensive weaknesses that could lead to a high-scoring affair.
📊 Live Syracuse vs. Florida State odds & latest betting splits
Here are the latest odds for Syracuse vs. Florida State, which update live in real time. You can also check out our NEW college basketball player prop odds tool for the latest college basketball odds on any market across legal sportsbooks in your region.
🔢 Syracuse vs. Florida State opening odds
Here's a look at the opening odds for Syracuse vs. Florida State according to BetMGM.
- Spread: Syracuse +2.5 (-110) | Florida State -2.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Syracuse +128 | Florida State -154
- Over/Under: Over 152.5 (-105) | Under 152.5 (-115)
🏆 Who will win Syracuse vs. Florida State?
As of late Tuesday morning, Florida State is favored by 3.5 points to beat Syracuse with moneyline odds of -175 at BetMGM, which suggest a 63.6% win probability for the Seminoles. We're predicting a 77-72 win for Syracuse as our final score projection.
So far, 56% of bettors have wagered against the spread on Florida State -3.5, while 70% of bettors expect the game to finish Over the projected total of 149.5 points.
📺 How to watch Syracuse vs. Florida State tonight
📅 Date: Tuesday, March 11
🕗 Time: 7 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Spectrum Center (Charlotte)
📺 TV: ACC Network
💻 Streaming: ACCN+
❓ Syracuse vs. Florida State FAQs
Who's favored to win the ACC tournament?
The Duke Blue Devils are massive favorites to win the ACC Tournament with odds of -325 at BetMGM.
Who is favored to win Syracuse vs. Florida State?
Florida State is a -175 (63.6%) moneyline favorite against Syracuse.
What are the betting odds for Syracuse vs. Florida State?
As of the latest Syracuse vs. Florida State betting odds, the spread is Syracuse +3.5 (-110) | Florida State -3.5 (-110), with a total of 149.5 points (Over: -110 | Under: -110).
What will be the final score of Syracuse vs. Florida State?
We're predicting a final score of Syracuse 77, Florida State 72 entering tonight's matchup at the Spectrum Center.
What time is Syracuse vs. Florida State tonight?
Tonight’s Syracuse vs. Florida State action is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET tipoff tonight.
⛹️ Best college basketball betting sites
Looking to bet on college basketball tonight? Here are our best March Madness betting sites as determined by our expert team at Sportsbook Review, along with our best March Madness betting promos ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
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