The wins and losses may not show it, but lately, Syracuse basketball is playing better than it was earlier in the 2024-25 season.
Dating back to mid-February, the Orange hung tough with a North Carolina group that is squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble, falling by six points. The 'Cuse has defeated both N.C. State and Virginia, at home, by 14 points each.
Sandwiched in between those Atlantic Coast Conference affairs, Syracuse basketball held double-digit leads at Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and SMU. The Orange, unfortunately, would lose all three contests (in overtime to the Hokies and by two points to the Mustangs).
So, in those half-dozen games, the 'Cuse is just 2-4. Yet a deeper look reveals that Syracuse basketball, over the past month, is right there with its opponents. And perhaps that will bode well for the Orange as it prepares to face Florida State on Tuesday evening in the ACC Tournament's first round from Charlotte, N.C.
Syracuse basketball players think they're poised for a solid run in the ACC tourney.
While FSU, in early January of 2025, beat the 'Cuse by 16 points in Tallahassee, Fla., things are a tad different at present. For one, I do believe that the Orange is playing better, and with more confidence, these days.
What's more, the Seminoles enter the ACC Tournament having lost four of their past five contests. FSU (17-14, 8-12) is the event's No. 11 seed, while Syracuse basketball (13-18, 7-13 in the ACC) is the No. 14 seed. Here's how to watch Tuesday evening's game.
Yes, the Orange still has trouble closing out affairs when it has a big lead, although the win over the Cavaliers was a solid, encouraging one. More recently, though, the 'Cuse has shot better from deep. Its rebounding continues to prove a bright spot.
As long as Syracuse basketball can remain consistent from half to half, faring well on defense and limiting its turnovers, I think the Orange has a legit shot to notch a few victories in Charlotte. Florida State, traditionally, plays a lot of guys and has a lot of players who are athletic and long.
The 'Cuse front-court will have to be laser-focused on both ends of the court. Speaking of the team's front-court, graduate student center Eddie Lampkin Jr., a double-double machine of late, said in an article by Syracuse.com's Hall of Fame writer, Donna Ditota, "Going into the ACC, I feel like we ready. I mean, it’s a lot of teams that we lost to that we shouldn’t have lost to."
Lucas Taylor, the Orange's senior guard/wing, added: "I just think playing your best basketball at this time is all you can ask for. I feel like that’s what we’re doing now. We’re starting to play our best basketball in March."
Senior point guard Jaquan Carlos has played well in recent games. To me, he takes a lot of unfair criticism from some 'Cuse fans, because while he struggled early on in the 2024-25 season, plenty of other Orange players have struggled, too.
In Ditota's story, Carlos said something with which I totally agree. He noted, "We just gotta do a better job of closing out games. We’ve been up on good teams, 16, 18 points and you know, we was just folding in the last minute. That just shows us right there that if we play the right way and finish the right way, we could beat anybody."
Hopefully, against Florida State on Tuesday night, Syracuse basketball will build up a big advantage over the Seminoles and then sustain it.
Syracuse basketball players say they're pleased Adrian Autry will be coming back. Syracuse basketball players say they're pleased Adrian Autry will be coming back. dark. Next