Clemson basketball vs Syracuse score prediction after Tigers' big win at UNC

Clemson basketball is coming off one of its biggest wins in recent history after defeating No. 3-ranked UNC 80-76 on Tuesday. The Tigers earned their second program win in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and look to carry that momentum to Syracuse -- where they have won only once in their past six visits.

"There's a confidence that comes from playing in tough environments against really tough teams, like North Carolina, Duke, Alabama, and playing well in those environments," coach Brad Brownell said.

The Orange are 11-1 at home this season and have one of the best players in the conference in Judah Mintz. They began their three-game homestand with a win against Louisville on Wednesday.

Clemson (15-7, 5-6 ACC) comes into this matchup at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday (12 p.m., ESPN) in 10th place in the ACC; Syracuse (15-8, 6-6) is seventh.

Here are three things to know and a score prediction:

Clemson must come out with urgency again

It was a monumental win for the Tigers to defeat UNC, not only for the history of the rivalry at the Dean Smith Center but for their NCAA Tournament hopes.

"That's one of the things I've told our players (trying) to encourage them that we're playing better than our record," Brownell said.

North Carolina came off an emotional win against Duke and struggled to get its offense going against Clemson. The Tigers must not fall victim to the same cycle. They must use their experience to repeat what they did at UNC and come out hot against Syracuse, which has allowed at least 80 points in four of its past five games.

Syracuse's offense goes as Judah Mintz go

With a starting lineup filled with sophomores, the standout is Mintz. He is third in the ACC in points (18.3) and assists (4.6) per game and averages 2.1 steals per game -- tied in second with teammate Maliq Brown.

Mintz also leads the conference in free-throw attempts (205), thanks to his ability to push the pace in transition and attack inside. He does struggle to convert from the charity stripe at times, shooting 75.1%, but the next-closest player in attempts has 122. Clemson must have an answer to slow down Syracuse's engine.

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Joseph Girard III returns to Syracuse

Girard began his collegiate career at Syracuse, spending four seasons with the Orange. He averaged 13.2 points while shooting 36.3% on 3-pointers with Syracuse.

The New York native transferred to Clemson this season and added his experience and long-range shooting to the Tigers. Does the third-place leader in 3-pointers made in ACC history have any emotions returning home?

"I really haven't thought about it, to be honest with you," Girard said. "It's going to be good to see a lot of people … but once that ball goes up in the air, it's (all) business."

Clemson basketball score prediction vs. Syracuse

Clemson 78, Syracuse 72: Clemson hasn't won back-to-back games since Dec. 29, but its win over UNC should be the catalyst to establish momentum for the rest of the season. The Orange have struggled against Quad 1 opponents this season (1-6). As a result, expect the Tigers to win at Syracuse for the first time since 2016.

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson basketball vs Syracuse score prediction after win at UNC