Syracuse Basketball: Predictions for ACC road trip vs NC State Wolfpack

Neil Adler (16-8)
Prediction: NC State wins 76-71

The Syracuse basketball squad hits the road on Wednesday evening for a tilt at N.C. State, in a pivotal match-up for the Orange. SU (17-7, 8-3), currently tied for fourth place with Louisville in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings, is about to enter a brutal stretch in league play, where it will suit up against four opponents in the AP top-25 poll during its seven remaining conference contests.

The Wolfpack (17-7, 5-6), meanwhile, presently checks in at ninth in the ACC. Its last time out, N.C. State won at Pittsburgh by three points. The ‘Cuse has collected 10 victories in its last 13 tries, including an 11-point home triumph against Boston College on Saturday afternoon. To date in the 2018-19 campaign, the Wolfpack is a superior offensive unit, averaging about 12 more points per contest than Syracuse. The Orange, on the other hand, allows six fewer points every 40 minutes on defense.

SU desperately needs to improve its scoring balance, and that starts with recent slumps by senior point guard Frank Howard and redshirt sophomore forward Elijah Hughes. While the ‘Cuse is a stellar 5-1 so far in duels away from its own turf, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index says that N.C. State possesses a 72.7 percent chance to prevail.

It would prove huge for its Big Dance resume if Syracuse could knock off the Wolfpack in hostile territory, however, my gut, unfortunately, tells me that N.C. State is going to best the Orange, 76-71.