Syracuse Basketball: As N.C. State Looms, It’s Time To Secure A Road Win
By Neil Adler
The Syracuse basketball team seems to be finding their stride, although, they have yet to get their road monkey off their back this season. Can that change tonight?
Now, the Orange has another critical goal in mind: capturing its first triumph outside of Central New York in the 2016-17 campaign.
Should the ‘Cuse want to seriously enter the conversation for a possible NCAA Tournament bid, SU must pick up some road victories – and those opportunities begin tonight, when Syracuse travels to Raleigh, N.C., to square off with N.C. State.
The Orange (13-9, 5-4 in ACC play) and the Wolfpack (14-8, 3-6) currently find themselves amid a log-jam of so-so squads in the middle- to bottom-tier of the current Atlantic Coast Conference standings.
SU, as previously mentioned, took care of the Seminoles, ranked No. 15 in the latest AP Poll, in a 10-point, signature home win over the weekend. N.C. State, meanwhile, got absolutely crushed on the road by then-No. 13 Louisville, 85-60, on Jan. 29. The Cardinals have since jumped to No. 6 in the AP Poll.
Syracuse enters this contest having outlasted three of its five most-recent opponents, while the Wolfpack are (2-3) during the same stretch. However, N.C. State did manage an 84-82 upset of then-No. 17 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Jan. 23.
The Blue Devils defeat represents the Wolfpack’s best victory so far this season. N.C. State’s other marquee wins include a blowout of then-No. 21 Virginia Tech as well as a conquest of struggling Pittsburgh, both at home.
All of the Wolfpack’s setbacks to date, minus one stinger, have come at the hands of outfits in the RPI top 75. Its only real disaster is a road loss to Boston College, something for which the ‘Cuse can relate, having gotten pasted by the Eagles on New Year’s Day.
Roughly a year ago, on Feb. 27, 2016, Syracuse snuck past N.C. State, 75-66, before more than 27,000 fans on Senior Day at the Carrier Dome. Senior Michael Gbinije paced the Orange with a spectacular 34 points, drilling eight 3-pointers.
Fast-forward to the present, and the Wolfpack are putting up 81 points per game, while allowing 78. N.C. State shoots 48 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range and 70 percent from the free-throw line.
The Orange, on the other hand, averages 76 points and gives up 68. Syracuse connects on 45
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percent from the field, 39 percent from downtown and 70 percent from the charity stripe.
Other statistical categories are fairly even. The Wolfpack collects 38 rebounds, 15 assists, five blocks and five steals. SU nabs 37 boards, dishes out 17 dimes, blocks six shots and generates nine thefts. The ‘Cuse takes slightly better care of the ball, committing 12 turnovers, compared to 14 for N.C. State.
Five guys on the Wolfpack roster score in double-figures, led by freshman sensation Dennis Smith Jr., who averages 19 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. He’s one of the premier “rookies” in the country, and Syracuse defenders must lock in on him in the 2-3 zone.
Earlier this week, Smith was selected as one of 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, distributed annually to the nation’s top point guard.
Mark Gottfried is in his sixth stanza as the N.C. State head coach. He previously graced the sidelines at Murray State and Alabama. While the Crimson Tide’s head coach, he guided Alabama to the Elite Eight in the 2004 NCAA Tournament.
The only reason I mention this is because during that run, the Crimson Tide, a No. 8 seed, knocked off the defending national champions, Syracuse, a No. 5 seed, in the Sweet 16. So much for a repeat.
At N.C. State, where he recently scored his 400th career head-coaching victory, Gottfried has made four trips to the Big Dance, including two Sweet 16 appearances.
The Wolfpack, similar to SU, excel at home, posting an 11-2 mark. After the Louisville drubbing, I have no doubt that N.C. State will want to take some frustration out on the Orange.
Next: Syracuse Basketball: Coach’s Clipboard
The ‘Cuse has manufactured an initial win against a highly ranked foe. Its next task, a road achievement, awaits. Syracuse is skating on thin ice as far as the NCAA Tournament goes, and slaying the Wolfpack will help propel SU further in the desirable direction.