Syracuse, N.Y. — The Syracuse basketball team visits the Lenovo Center at 7 p.m., Tuesday to face North Carolina State.
The game will air on ESPNU.
See in-game team and individual stats here.
Listen to our postgame show on “Syracuse Sports,” hosted by Brent Axe, on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and wherever you listen to podcasts.
Note: Refresh this page throughout Syracuse’s game vs. N.C. State to see the latest updates
Autry forced to call timeout
Some lazy play from Syracuse after Naithan George missed a wide-open transition 3. The Orange also seemed to let down late in their last game against Miami in a similar situation.
The Wolfpack converted a pair of uncontested dunks after the miss. No major effort by Syracuse to rotate on defense.
N.C. State leads 53-44 with 13:45 remaining in the game.
Copeland helps N.C. State build lead
Good start for Quadir Copeland in the second half. He picks up two points on a nice cut to the basket for a layup and also has two assists.
He’s up to 10 points, 8 assists, 4 steals and 3 turnovers for the game.
Syracuse guard JJ Starling has started the second half 0-for-4. He’s tried to be aggressive but is just 2-for-10 so far.
Syracuse Sports Insider thoughts at half
Here’s what our Syracuse Sports Insiders texted Brent Axe at halftime of Syracuse’s game against N.C. State.
Join the conversation here to get a direct text line to Axe.
Evan C: Thank you, Red, for letting Donnie play!!! In the last six games Donnie has played more than 34 minutes only once.
FYI…Boozer on Duke has played AT LEAST 36 minutes in 6 of their last 8 decided by 12 pts or less.
Bottom line, your best player can’t be on the bench for 6-8 minutes every game!
Bud P: Nice to see Donnie having a good game, but like I said last game, what we are seeing, is what this team is, like it or not. It’s totally unrealistic to think we’re any better than this.
Michael P: Can’t blame everything on the coaches, although they sure deserve some blame, maybe we just don’t have the horses.
Halftime: N.C. State 41, Syracuse 37
Donnie Freeman really doing everything he can to keep Syracuse in this game with a tremendous first half. He’s been the best player on the floor in a game with three standouts.
He’s got 16 points and seven rebounds.
N.C. State is being led by Darrion Williams, who has 12 points. Quadir Copeland is playing exceptionally well in what he views as a revenge game. He’s got eight points, six assists and three steals.
He’s currently out-playing Syracuse point guard Naithan George in a big way. George has two points on 1-for-7 shooting.
This is a game where JJ Starling’s athleticism will be helpful. He was limited to 11 minutes by foul trouble. Syracuse did an OK job treading water.
N.C. State’s physicality winning out
When I’ve watched Syracuse this season, there are very few times when I’ve felt the Orange has faced a team that is bigger and stronger.
N.C. State has one of them.
The Wolfpack look just as athletic at Syracuse but appear thicker and stronger. They’re picking up full-court and playing a pretty physical brand of defense.
It’ll be interesting how Syracuse holds up physically.
Syracuse trails 32-25 with 3:43 remaining in the first half. The Orange are shooting just 39 percent from the floor.
Syracuse Sports Insiders on Copeland
Here’s what our Syracuse Sports Insiders texted Brent Axe about Quadir Copeland facing the Orange so far. Join the conversation here to get a direct text line to Axe.
James L: I think it’s safe to say the Quadir has improved. Always had the great pass, always the great drive, but with his shot and turnover rate better, He’s a different player.
It appears that he would still look good in Orange
Michael S: Good comeback to get in the game and it looks like Copeland is trying to put on a show as opposed to making standard plays
Al S: Tonight the ultimate irony. Red – a former PG – let’s the PG he needed go and has replaced him with players that will ultimately cost him his job
JJ Starling needed with 2 fouls
N.C. State is playing a very aggressive man-to-man defense and it’s actually making Syracuse look unathletic.
JJ Starling is the Orange’s best answer to beating that type of a physical aggressive approach and Adrian Autry seems to think he needs him on the floor, so he’s letting Starling go with two fouls.
North Carolina State leads 26-21 with 7:37 remaining in the first half.
Donnie Freeman still carrying the Orange with 11 of 21 points.
Darrion Williams has 10 points to lead N.C. State
A very Quadir start
Quadir Copeland has lived up to reputation so far at the start. Both good and bad.
He’s got four points, three assists and two turnovers.
North Carolina State leads 18-15 with 11:37 remaining in the first half.
N.C. State is having a tough time defending Donnie Freeman. He’s already got 8 points and 4 rebounds but isn’t getting very much help from the rest of the Orange, who have combined for seven points and three rebounds.
Starling continued to be aggressive but started to have more success during that segment picking up five points. Unfortunately, he also picked up two fouls.
Syracuse has six second-chance points with Freeman’s size around the rim paying off.
Another slow start for Syracuse
Not the start that Syracuse wanted. N.C. State won the tip and scored 5 seconds into the game, then added a 3-pointer from Darrion Williams.
Quadir Copeland scores his first two points on free throws with 18:14 remaining in the first half.
Williams has been the best player on the court by far. He has 8 points. Donnie Freeman is running No. 2 and has 4 for the Orange.
Wolfpack lead 13-5 with 15:36 remaining in the first half.
Syracuse has tried to get JJ Starling started on offense and it hasn’t gone well. He’s 0-for-3.
Pregame
Starters for N.C. State are Paul McNeil, Tre Holloman, Quadir Copeland, Darrion Williams and Ven-Allen Lubin.
North Carolina State (14-6, 5-2 ACC) is currently projected as a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament in ESPN’s most-recent Bracketology.
The Wolfpack are trying to avoid a damaging home loss to the Orange (12-8, 3-4 ACC) has lost three consecutive games and seems to have something different go wrong each game.
Big plays over the last three games have included a missed breakaway dunk, a failure to grab a defensive rebound after a missed free throw and a missed free throw that would have won the game.
The Wolfpack will be led by former Orange point guard Quadir Copeland, who is sure to be fired up to play an Orange program that he feels didn’t believe in him as a viable lead guard.
Copeland played two seasons before transferring to McNeese State, moving up to NC State alongside head coach Will Wade.
Copeland is fourth in the ACC in assists per game on the year and 11th in steals. His numbers improve when only counting conference games, rising to first in assists (6.7) and fourth in steals (2.3).
He is one of the leaders for the Wolfpack along with Texas Tech transfer Darrion Williams (13.9 points, 5.5 rebounds).
North Carolina State opponents take 48.1 percent of their shots from behind the 3-point arc, one of the highest rates in the country. That’s probably a good formula for NC State against a Syracuse team that doesn’t shoot particularly well.
It also might mean Tyler Betsey plays a major role for the Orange. Betsey leads the Orange, shooting 40.7 percent from behind the 3-point arc. Nate Kingz is next at 35 percent.