Logan LaBo
Freshman guard Dennis Smith Jr. dribbles the ball around a Wake Forest player towards the goal. Smith did well with his free throws during the game scoring 9 of 11. NC State lost to Wake Forest 88-93 at PNC Arena on Jan. 21.
After being outplayed on both ends of the court against No. 13 Louisville Sunday, the NC State men’s basketball team returns home to host Syracuse Wednesday evening in PNC Arena.
The Wolfpack (14-8, 3-6 ACC) followed up its signature win at then-No. 18 Duke by, to put it simply, being outperformed by Louisville. The Cardinals used hot shooting, especially from beyond the arc, to build up a sizeable lead early and never look back.
Freshman point guard Dennis Smith Jr. was held to a season-low 8 points on 3-of-12 shooting in Sunday’s loss. Louisville’s suffocating defense had no remorse for the young guard, who appeared visibly frustrated down the stretch.
While this is his first year playing college basketball, Smith showcased senior-esque character when he recognized his poor play and took the blame upon himself after the game.
“I didn’t bring enough energy on either end to start the game,” Smith told ESPN. “[My teammates] follow me, so when I don’t bring a lot of energy it’s hard for them to really get going.”
In a contest that mirrored the 107-56 mauling in Chapel Hill, Louisville went on a 15-0 run in the first few minutes to open up a 21-9 lead with 12:21 left in the first half. If NC State hopes to beat Syracuse, it needs to play better defense early so as to not allow any early runs.
Another problem for the Wolfpack this season has been inconsistent play from redshirt senior guard Terry Henderson. Henderson, a pure shooter, went for 21 and 11 points against Pittsburgh and Wake Forest respectively, but followed those games up with a mere 6 points against Duke and 9 against Louisville. Henderson, one of the off-court captains, needs to be more consistent if the Pack wants to make any sort of season transformation.
After underperforming in its nonconference schedule, the Orange (13-9, 5-4 ACC) has played well thus far in the ACC. Of the team’s four conference losses, two came to ranked schools UNC and Notre Dame.
Recently, the Orange have picked up the tempo, and currently hold a two game winning streak. On Saturday, Syracuse got its first signature win of the season when it knocked off No. 6 Florida State.
While the ‘Cuse has been playing well in its past two games, the team has struggled heavily on the road. So far, Syracuse is 0-4 when playing away during the conference season, a favorable statistic for the Wolfpack who is 11-2 at home this season.
Arguably the best player for the Orange is sophomore Tyler Lydon, a dangerous shooter from virtually anywhere on the court. Lydon is consistent when it comes to the three ball and he can also play the post if need be. The 6-foot-9 forward is currently averaging 14.2 PPG and 7.9 RPG.
Syracuse’s hall of fame head coach Jim Boeheim will bring his vaunted 2-3 zone to PNC Arena. This will be the first time NC State will play against a zone for a full 40 minutes. The keys for the Pack will to not be lulled into taking deceivingly open outside shots, as well as to score in transition as much as possible.
Sitting at 14-8 overall with a 3-6 conference record, NC State’s chances of going to the NCAA tourney are vanishing right before its eyes. The Wolfpack really only has two quality wins this year: Virginia Tech and Duke, and the recent struggles of those teams don’t help bolster State’s résumé.
NC State needs a major turnaround if the team wants to make the big dance in March. Not including Wednesday’s matchup with Syracuse, half of the Pack’s remaining schedule contains ranked opponents. Included on that list is a rematch with No. 12 UNC-Chapel Hill and a trip to No. 15 Florida State.
Wednesday’s game against the upstart Orange is a must-win situation. If the Wolfpack doesn’t perform well, there’s a solid chance the team won’t be playing in any postseason games that matter past the ACC tournament.