Georgetown vs. Syracuse: Hoyas Will Be No Match for Orange

Georgetown may have the defense to slow Syracuse down, but the Hoyas don't have the offense to keep up.

As one of college basketball's biggest rivalries kicks off on Wednesday night, the Hoyas find themselves matched up with the No. 2 team in the country, a team that has clearly earned that ranking.

Not only is Syracuse scoring 78.1 points per game (second in the nation), the Orange are also allowing just 60.8 points per game.

That is where Syracuse differs from the rest of the Hoyas' opponents thus far. 

The Hoyas have beaten three ranked teams this season—Alabama, Louisville and Marquette. Alabama and Louisville weren't high-scorers like Syracuse, relying mainly on their defense—that didn't work against Georgetown. Marquette had the offense, but didn't have the defense.

In Syracuse, the Hoyas see the best of both worlds—or, the worst, depending on how you look at it. Georgetown is averaging 71.0 points per game this season, 110th in the country. Syracuse should also have an advantage in the paint with 7'0" sophomore center Fab Melo back after missing three games due to an academic issue.

Georgetown's defense is good enough to make life difficult on an offense that just dropped 95 points on St. John's. But people forget, amid the flurry of points the Orange put up, that they're not a bad defensive team, either.

When you're looking at both teams, you're really not looking at offense versus defense. You're looking at two teams that are further apart overall than one might think.

This game won't be the riveting, back-and-forth rivalry we've all come to expect. Syracuse will assert its dominance early and often.