Syracuse basketball vs. No. 23 N.C. State odds, prediction, how to watch

Syracuse basketball has won two games in a row, both on the road, and the Orange didn’t have an Atlantic Coast Conference battle this past weekend.

So with some extended time off to practice and rest, the ‘Cuse is now set to host top-25 N.C. State on Tuesday evening in a key league clash for the Orange.

In its past two contests, Syracuse basketball (15-10, 8-6 in the ACC) defeated Boston College and then Florida State, with each victory coming on the road and by nine points.

The Wolfpack (20-6, 10-5), meanwhile, has captured five triumphs over its last six encounters, with its only loss during that stretch at highly rated Virginia.

In this week’s Associated Press top-25 poll, N.C. State checked in at No. 23 nationally.

This past Saturday afternoon, N.C. State absolutely destroyed Boston College by 30 points, on the road. In that win, the Wolfpack connected on a ridiculous 15-of-30 attempts from beyond the arc.

For the entirety of the 2022-23 stanza, N.C. State is a solid shooting squad from deep, but its last performance versus the Eagles was stellar.

The Orange’s zone defense had better be locked in and extremely active when the ‘Cuse and the Wolfpack go toe to toe on Valentine’s Day.

Syracuse basketball vs. No. 23 N.C. State odds

When I published this column, actionnetwork.com had the Orange as a 0.5-point betting favorite at home against the Wolfpack, with the over/under set at 148.5 points.

Syracuse basketball vs. No. 23 N.C. State prediction

In their all-time series together, the ‘Cuse leads the Wolfpack, 11-6. Most recently in February of 2022, Syracuse basketball defeated N.C. State on the road by a final count of 89-82.

To date in 2022-23, the Wolfpack boasts solid victories over Dayton, Duke, Miami, at Wake Forest and at Virginia Tech, among others.

N.C. State, in the non-conference slate, also hung tough with top-10 and defending national champion Kansas, losing to the Jayhawks by six points on a neutral floor.

In looking at this match-up, the Wolfpack is among the highest-scoring squads in the ACC. N.C. State also has an advantage over Syracuse basketball in rebounding, by about two boards per game.

Also, the Wolfpack takes good care of the ball, only committing roughly 10 turnovers per contest.

Based on current NCAA NET rankings, this will likely end up being a quadrant-two opportunity for the Orange.

By extension, while the ‘Cuse is hovering in the middle of the pack within the present ACC standings, N.C. State is in contention for a top-four spot in the conference race.

I’m on the fence about this one. The Wolfpack clearly has a more impressive resume, but the Orange should have some confidence after notching two straight victories away from the Hill.

I’ll go with Syracuse basketball to squeak out a closely fought game against N.C. State.

Injuries, how to watch, live stream, next game
On the injury front, freshman big man Peter Carey is out for the rest of the 2022-23 term, Syracuse basketball head coach Jim Boeheim has said.

The 6-foot-11 Carey, a power forward/center, has had a surgical procedure done on his right knee and is expected to take a medical redshirt this year, Boeheim has said.

We’ll certainly continue to monitor the injury front for the ‘Cuse in the current stanza.

The Orange and the Wolfpack will tip off beginning at 7 pm on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at the JMA Wireless Dome. The ACC Network will televise this ACC clash.

For Syracuse basketball and Wolfpack fans who want to stream this game, you can check it out on fuboTV.

After the ‘Cuse plays N.C. State, Syracuse basketball will stay in Central New York when the team hosts Duke on Saturday, Feb. 18, in what SU Athletics is describing as an “Orange Out.”

The ‘Cuse and the Blue Devils will get things going at 6 pm, with television coverage on ESPN. It would prove absolutely huge if Syracuse basketball could go 2-0 versus N.C. State and Duke, but that’s no easy task.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.