Syracuse basketball showed fight and grit in N.C. State comeback win

Beating N.C. State inside the Carrier Dome on Sunday evening didn’t do much to boost the Syracuse basketball post-season resume. However, a loss to the Wolfpack would have proven damaging to the Orange’s March Madness hopes.

The ‘Cuse defense got absolutely shredded by N.C. State in the first half as the Wolfpack built up a double-digit advantage and went into the intermission up by nine points.

Credit Syracuse basketball for hanging around and not giving up. The Orange’s 2-3 zone clamped down on N.C. State in the second half, and the ‘Cuse did just enough to squeak out a 76-73 victory.

The Wolfpack (7-6, 3-5) suited up in this Atlantic Coast Conference clash minus its leading scorer, and N.C. State played an inspired game.

For Syracuse basketball (10-5, 4-4), holding serve at home against a comparable bubble squad was imperative if the Orange wants to entertain any thought of dancing in March.

The ‘Cuse, with this outcome, gets to .500 in ACC competition and managed to regroup after a pasting at the hands of Virginia on the road last Monday night.

Syracuse basketball could ill-afford a setback on the Hill to N.C. State.

Throughout the 2020-21 campaign, the Orange offense by and large hasn’t had an issue producing points, save for a few games, including the Cavaliers debacle.

But the ‘Cuse defense has looked suspect in numerous contests, both wins and losses, and the Wolfpack encounter illustrates the Orange’s inconsistency on that end of the floor.

Syracuse basketball allowed a whopping 47 points to N.C. State in the first 20 minutes, despite the fact that the Wolfpack was without its top scorer, senior guard Devon Daniels, who has a torn ACL.

That the ‘Cuse gave up that many points to an under-manned opponent is concerning, however, the Orange did perform much better in its zone after intermission.

Head coach Jim Boeheim said, via cuse.com, that the N.C. State “offense scored 26 points in the second half because we guarded them better and Buddy [Boeheim] got opportunities from three. So, we got just enough to edge in front.”

Syracuse basketball relied on a balanced scoring attack of five guys in double-figures. The Orange and the Wolfpack saw their statistics wind up pretty close to identical in a lot of categories.

The ‘Cuse simply made a couple more plays as this ACC affair neared its conclusion. Freshman combo guard Kadary Richmond was sensational. And Syracuse basketball avoided tripping up on its own turf versus another bubble bunch.