Orange Overcome Nine-Point Halftime Deficit To Beat NC State

Sunday, January 31

Syracuse, N.Y.

6 PM

Syracuse University

10-5,4-4ACC

NC State

7-6,3-5ACC

NC State

Syracuse

Orange Overcome Nine-Point Halftime Deficit To Beat NC State

1/31/2021 8:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Syracuse (10-5, 4-4 ACC) battled back from a nine-point halftime deficit with the help of five double-digit point scorers to defeat NC State (7-6, 3-5 ACC), 76-73, on Sunday night in the Carrier Dome.

HOW THE GAME WAS DECIDED
Syracuse held a 70-65 advantage with four minutes to play, but four unanswered points from NC State narrowed the Orange lead to 70-69 with 1:30 remaining. Kadary Richmond stretched the margin back to three with a layup, but Jericole Hellems converted from the charity stripe to bring the Wolfpack within one basket, 72-70.

A pair of Marek Dolezaj free throws were answered by Thomas Allen, who drained three of his own after being fouled beyond the arc with six seconds remaining to bring the magin to one, 74-73. However, Alan Griffin kept the Wolfpack at bay by sinking both of his free throws at the end of regulation to secure a 76-73 Syracuse victory.

Griffin led the Orange with 19 points while snagging a career-best four steals. Buddy Boeheim followed closely behind with 17 points while tying his season-high with four 3-point makes. Richmond led the Orange off the bench with 14 points while Marek Dolezaj (11 points) and Quincy Guerrier (10 points) rounded out the double-digit scorers for Syracuse.

FROM COACH BOEHEIM
"In the second half, NC State was 0-for-8 from three because we guarded them with pressure and got them off their spots" said Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. "Their offense scored 26 points in the second half because we guarded them better and Buddy (Boeheim) got opportunities from three. So, we got just enough to edge in front."

STATE STRIKES FIRST
The teams scored 11 points apiece in the first five minutes of the contest, with Griffin knocking down two triples to lead the Orange with six points in the early going. A 3-pointer from Joseph Girard III and a pair of free throws from Griffin gave Syracuse five unanswered points to edge ahead, 16-14, with 13:20 to play in the opening period.

NC State began to seize control with a 13-2 run over the span of four minutes that featured five points from Shakeel Moore and allowed the Wolfpack to take a 34-26 lead with 5:53 to go in the first half.

The final five minutes of the half saw Manny Bates score six points on two dunks and a pair of free throws, allowing the Wolfpack to narrowly outscore the Orange, 13-12. However, Richmond cut through the lane and finished at the rim with six seconds before intermission to score the final points of the half and send the teams to the break with NC State in the lead, 47-38.

SYRACUSE SWINGS AHEAD
At the start of the second stanza, the 'Cuse used a 14-6 run that featured four points from Guerrier and triples from Griffin and Boeheim to narrow NC State's lead to one. Another Griffin make from beyond the arc evened the score at 54 with 11:52 to play in the contest.

After a layup from Bates put the Wolfpack ahead, 56-54, Guerrier gave the Orange a four-point boost with back-to-back post moves that put Syracuse ahead, 58-56, with 10:29 remaining.

The Orange defense played a pivotal role in putting Syracuse back ahead by limiting the NC State to 4-of-14 shooting (.286) in the first 10 minutes of the half after the Wolfpack had hit 17-of 30 (.567) field goal attempts in the opening frame.

The teams exchanged leads six times over a five-minute span and found themselves even again at 65 with 5:32 to play, but Richmond recorded a mid-range make and Boeheim converted from beyond the arc to put the Orange ahead, 70-65, with 4:25 left in the game.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

The win versus NC State snaps a three-game losing streak to the Wolfpack and gives the Orange their first home win against their conference foe since the 2015-16 season.
Quincy Guerrier recorded his seventh double-double of the season. His total is the most by a Syracuse player since Oshae Brissett had seven double-doubles during the 2018-19 season.
Marek Dolezaj (11 points, eight rebounds, six assists) finished two boards and four assists shy of a triple-double.
Kadary Richmond matched his season-high with six field goal makes. The freshman had previously made six shots in the win against Niagara.

UP NEXT
The Orange return to Jim Boeheim Court to take on #25/23 Louisville on Wednesday, February 3. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. The game will be televised on ACC Network.

Gallery: (1-31-2021) Syracuse vs. NC State

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