NC State Returns To Raleigh To Host Syracuse

After snapping their three game losing streak on the road over the weekend NC State returns to North Carolina’s state capital to host Syracuse on Wednesday.

NC State comes into the game with a record of 17-7 while they’re 5-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference while Syracuse comes into the game with the same overall record as NC State but unlike NC State Syracuse comes into the game with a record of 8-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

As for NC State’s previous game, they snapped their three game losing skid with a win at Pittsburgh.

The NC State men's basketball team hit a season-high 14 three-pointers to defeat Pitt, 79-76, inside the Petersen Events Center on Saturday afternoon. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

With the win, NC State improves to 17-7, 5-6 ACC, while Pitt falls to 12-12, 2-9 ACC. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

C.J. Bryce led five NC State players in double figures with a game-high 21 points. The Charlotte native finished the game 6-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range in the win. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

Braxton Beverly added 17 points, while making five three-pointers. Torin Dorn had 13 points, 11 in the second half, DJ Funderburk had 12 points off-the-bench and Markell Johnson finished with 10 points and a season-best eight assists. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

NC State's 14 three-pointers were a season-best and its three-point field goal percentage of 51.9 percent (14-of-27) was also the best of the season. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

The Pack led 41-38 at halftime and opened the second half on a 16-5 run to take its biggest lead of the game at 14 points, 57-43, with 15:44 to play. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

Dorn opened the second half with a three-pointer, Beverly hit one on the Pack's next possession and Bryce followed with a jumper on NC State's third possession to force a Pitt timeout one minute and 29 seconds into the final period. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

After a free throw and bucket by Pitt, the Pack scored the next eight points to appear to break the game open. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

But the Panthers would not go quietly as Pitt responded to Pack's 16-5 blitz with an 18-2 run to take its only lead of the second half on a Jared Wilson-Frame three-pointer with 11:09 to go. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

NC State responded with back-to-back three-pointers as Dorn and Bryce connected on consecutive possessions to give NC State a 65-61 lead with 9:56 to go. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

Pitt would battle back to tie the game at 70 and 72, but Johnson scored his first points of the second half on a three-pointer out of the final media timeout to give NC State a lead it would not relinquish, 75-72, with 3:21 to go. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

Johnson's bucket proved to be the final field goal of the game. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

Pitt closed within one point on two Xavier Johnson free throws with 17 seconds to go, but Bryce hit both ends of a one-and-one with 9.9 seconds to play to push the Pack's lead back out to three. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

The Panthers hit one of two free throws with six seconds to go to cut the lead to two, but Bryce rebounded Pitt's missed free throw and hit one free throw to close the scoring. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

Johnson led five Pitt players in double figures with 17 points. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-pack-outlasts-pitt-79-76.aspx

As for Syracuse’s previous game, Like NC State they won as they topped Boston College.

In front of the largest on-campus crowd in college basketball this year, Syracuse (17-7, 8-3 ACC) used a strong defensive effort to ground Boston College (11-11, 2-8 ACC) Saturday afternoon at the Carrier Dome, posting a  67-56 victory. “according to https://cuse.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-battle-boeheim-lead-orange-past-eagles.aspx

On the offensive end, Tyus Battle led the Orange with a team-high 21 points, while Buddy Boeheim had a career-best16 points, including four 3-pointers. Oshae Brissett posted his third straight double-double, this time contributing 12-points and 12-rebounds. “according to https://cuse.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-battle-boeheim-lead-orange-past-eagles.aspx

HOW IT WAS DECIDED
With 8:15 to go, Boston College went on a 14-2 run to cut Syracuse's lead to 60-54. The Orange never wavered under pressure, launching a 7-2 run of their own. Marek Dolezaj and Boeheim each went 2-of-2 from the free throw line, and the Orange defense forced three turnovers and held the Eagles scoreless in the last two minutes to ground the Eagles' comeback attempt “according to https://cuse.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-battle-boeheim-lead-orange-past-eagles.aspx
 
COACH BOEHEIM'S THOUGHTS
"I thought, defensively, Marek (Dolezaj) did a great job in the middle, knocking balls away getting outside. They were trying to get inside the whole game. We did a really good job on (Jordan) Chatman – he's always hurt us. We did a good job on (Ky) Bowman until the end he made a couple tough shots. Offensively, we were really good for a stretch. We got out and got some loose balls because of Marek and we got out on the break." “according tohttps://cuse.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-battle-boeheim-lead-orange-past-eagles.aspx

DEFENSIVE EFFORT
The Orange's patented zone delivered a strong effort Saturday, holding the Eagles 17 points under their season average. The Syracuse defense was strong from the start, forcing Boston College to miss its first 10 shots from the field. “according to https://cuse.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-battle-boeheim-lead-orange-past-eagles.aspx

By game's end, Syracuse had limited Boston College to 18-of-54 (.333) from the field, including a 7-of-23 effort (.304) on 3-point attempts. The Orange also forced 18 Eagle turnovers. “according to https://cuse.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-battle-boeheim-lead-orange-past-eagles.aspx

B'S BARRAGE
Battle, Boeheim and Brissett led the offensive charge in the second half. The three finished with a combined  49 of the 67 points scored Saturday. Boeheim's four 3-pointers coupled with Battle and Brissett's play inside provided the offensive firepower for Syracuse. The Orange outscored Boston College, 25-5 on points off turnovers, scored 11 fast-break points and led for 37 minutes of the game. “according to https://cuse.com/news/2019/2/9/mens-basketball-battle-boeheim-lead-orange-past-eagles.aspx

Tip-off is set for 8:00pm from PNC Arena. The game will be televised on Raycom Sports.