NC State Tops #20 Orange in ACC Opener, 67-61

Sunday, January 5

Raleigh, N.C.

2 p.m.

Syracuse University

11-3

North Carolina State

14-1

Team	1	2	F
Syracuse	36	25	61
NC State	32	35	67

1/5/2014 5:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Box Score | Season Stats

RALEIGH, N.C. - Brianna Butler scored 17 points and hit a pair of key 3-pointers late, but it was not enough as No. 20/24 Syracuse women's basketball (11-3, 0-1 ACC) lost its ACC opener 67-61 at NC State (14-1, 1-0 ACC) on Sunday afternoon at Reynolds Coliseum. In a tight back-and-forth game, the Orange and Wolfpack exchanged leads 14 times and were tied seven times.

Kody Burke scored a game-high 19 points and Markeisha Gatling had a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Wolfpack, who shot 39.6 percent from the field overall and 44 percent in the second half.

Butler's 17 points paced SU, while La'Shay Taft had 11 and Rachel Coffey and Brittney Sykes added nine points each. The Orange shot 33.3 percent from the field, but was aided by 10-of-27 (37 percent) shooting from 3-point range. Syracuse held a 42-35 rebounding advantage.

Butler made two huge 3-pointers in the closing minutes for the Orange, both erasing Wolfpack leads and putting the Orange back in front. The first came with 2:59 left, making it 58-56, and the second came at the 2:18 mark, putting SU on top, 61-60. Those would be the Orange's last points however, as NC State scored the game's final seven to win the conference opener. Maih Spencer's lay-up with 1:06 left put NC State back in front for good, 62-61. The Wolfpack went 5-of-6 at the free throw line in the final 27 seconds.

Leading by four early in the second half, Shakeya Leary scored back-to-back buckets, followed by a Taft lay-up to give the Orange its biggest lead of the game, 45-35, with 13:47 to go, but a pair of 3-pointers by Miah Spencer and another by Burke cut the SU lead back to one, 47-46, with 11:10 left.

Syracuse used an 8-0 run, capped off by back-to-back put-backs by Briana Day and Taylor Ford to extend its lead back to nine, 55-46, with 9:12 left.

With SU leading by seven, 55-48, Sykes was forced to the bench with 8:07 to go after picking up her fourth foul. The Wolfpack then scored six in a row before Sykes came back with 6:10 left and was called four fifth foul on a charge call with 5:28 on the clock.

After NC State jumped out to a 4-0 lead, Rachel Coffey hit a 3-pointer for Syracuse's first points in an ACC game. From there the first half would go back-and-forth with eight lead changes and five ties. The Wolfpack to its biggest lead, 19-12, at the 13:33 mark on a pair of Kody Burke free throws. The Orange closed the half on an 8-2 run which included back-to-back 3-pointers by La'Shay Taft to take a 36-32 lead into the locker room.

Sykes and Taft led the Orange in the opening 20 minutes with nine points each as SU shot 36.7 percent, including 7-of-16 (43.8 percent) from behind the arc. NC State was led by Burkes 11 points as it shot 35.7 percent as a team.

The Orange returns home to host its first-ever ACC game on Thursday when No. 3 Duke comes to the Carrier Dome for a 7 p.m. tip-off. Adult tickets are just $10 and can be purchased online, at the Carrier Dome Box Office (gate B), or by calling 1-888-DOMETIX. Parking is free in Stadium West lots at women's basketball games.