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Fresh off its worst loss under head coach Felisha Legette-Jack, Syracuse is looking to bounce back.

Ahead of SU’s 92-51 defeat to BC on Jan. 19, it learned it’d be without leading scorer Georgia Woolley. Her absence created a downward spiral, leading to a 23-point first-quarter deficit. Syracuse trailed by at least 20 for the rest of the contest.

To get back on the right foot, SU, which is 1-5 in January, welcomes No. 20 NC State to the JMA Wireless Dome. Unlike the Orange, the Wolfpack are cruising through the first month of 2025, ranking third in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Here’s everything you need to know before Syracuse (7-11, 1-6 ACC) faces No. 20 NC State (14-4, 6-1 ACC):

All-time series

NC State leads 12-4.

Last time they played …

Entering its 2023-24 regular-season finale at NC State, Syracuse had just secured its 13th conference victory of the season over Pittsburgh, tying its program record for ACC wins in a season. Though unlike the rest of SU’s games, the contest went to overtime, and the Orange fell 75-71 to the Wolfpack.

SU battled back after trailing by three at halftime to tie the game at the end of regulation, but it only mustered five points in overtime. Dyaisha Fair led the Orange with 26 points but was held to just five points on one field goal down the stretch of the fourth quarter and extra period. NC State shot 40.91% from the field, compared to SU’s 35.44% clip.

Hannah Mesa | Design Editor

The Wolfpack report

After a Final Four run last season, NC State has continued its dominance in Wes Moore’s 12th year at the helm. The Wolfpack’s four losses this year were all to teams now ranked in the AP Top 25. By building a challenging nonconference schedule, which included three Southeastern Conference opponents, NC State prepared itself to cruise through the ACC.

Moore’s squad is one of the most disciplined in Division I. The Wolfpack possess the lowest foul rate in the nation (14.5%) and also have the 15th-lowest turnover rate (14.8%), per HerHoopStats. By playing clean basketball, NC State hasn’t had to excel in any specific offensive categories. The Wolfpack rebound the ball at the third-highest rate in the ACC, propelling their success.

How SU beats NC State

Like Boston College, NC State is another experienced team. Three of the Wolfpack’s top four scorers have at least four years of collegiate experience. Against the Eagles, the Orange’s seniors and graduates fell flat without Woolley. Dominique Camp, Izabel Varejão, Kyra Wood and Saniaa Wilson combined for just six made shots. For SU to keep up with NC State, that simply can’t happen.

Syracuse will also need to step up from the perimeter. In their last game, the Orange shot an underwhelming 4-of-20 from 3 while the Eagles made 10-of-18 attempts. NC State ranks top-60 in 3-point percentage among D-I teams. So guard Sophie Burrows, SU’s biggest threat from deep, will need help from beyond the arc for Syracuse to compete.

Stat to know: 6.7

NC State ranks in the bottom third of D-I with just 6.7 steals per game. Last season, the Wolfpack didn’t perform highly in steals either. Syracuse’s recent falters have been partially due to turnovers, registering 21 versus BC, and this contest could help SU find confidence in taking care of the basketball.

Player to watch: Aziaha James, guard, No. 10

Aziaha James ranks ninth in the ACC with 17.2 points per game. The senior took a large step forward last season, setting career highs with 31.9 minutes per game and a 34.2% mark from 3. This year, James has scored double figures in every game.

However, some of her worst performances have come in NC State’s losses. Against then-No. 1 South Carolina, she scored 13 points and was held to zero rebounds. On Dec. 5 against then-No. 18 Ole Miss, James shot 4-of-14 for a season-low 11 points.

Published on January 23, 2025 at 12:05 am

Contact Timmy at: tswilcox@syr.edu | @TimmyWilcox32