The Syracuse Orange (18-10 overall, 8-7 ACC) will host the NC State Wolfpack (14-13, 4-10) in a critical game for the Orange at the Carrier Dome on Saturday. The Orange is coming off a tough home loss against Pittsburgh—a loss that severely hurt the Orange as far as a NCAA Tournament berth is concerned.
Who’s Hot- Tyler Lydon
Lydon was one of the few players to show up in the ugly 66-52 loss against Pitt. The freshman dropped a career-high 21 points, including a three from Waverly Ave to end the first-half (33 second mark). Lydon has scored more than 20 points in two of his last three games. His ability to stretch the floor at the four or five makes the Orange an even more lethal team from three-point range.
Who’s Not- The Backcourt
Going into most games, the Orange know that they have three backcourt players—Michael Gbinije, Trevor Cooney and Malachi Richardson—that can score the rock and run the offense. Against Pitt, however, the aforementioned trio had a horrific game. Richardson and Cooney scored six and three points, respectively, while shooting a combined 1-of-13 from three and a putrid 2-of-19 from the field. Gbinje managed to score 10, but he had a relatively quiet game otherwise. The Orange need to win a couple of more games down the stretch in order to secure a tournament bid, but they will need this trio to find their game if they want to be dancing.
SU vs. NC State Saturday @ 2 PM Countdown to tip-off @ 1:30
Can Anthony “Cat” Barber Steal the game for the Wolfpack?
Anthony, or Cat as he has come to be known by, Barber is one of the best players in the country; he averages 23.1 points-per-game, best for seventh in the country. He has the ability to steal any game. The Orange know this and will have to be on its A game defensively to slow down this elite scorer.
Key Matchup- Michael Gbinije vs. Cat Barber
It really comes down to this for the Orange: slow down Cat Barber, and you win the game. In the Wolfpack’s 14 wins, Barber has averaged 25.6 points-per-game, while in the 13 losses he has only averaged 20.5. Keep Barber under control—which is easier said than done—and the Orange should walk away with a much-needed win.