Hot second half lifts Syracuse past NC State 89-82

Feb 3, 2023, 04:43 am

RALEIGH, N.C. -- — Jesse Edwards and Cole Swider scored 19 points apiece and Syracuse scored the last six points of the game to top North Carolina State 89-82 on Wednesday night.

The Wolfpack pulled within 83-82 on a pair of Dereon Seabron free throws but Syracuse quickly answered with a Swider 3-pointer from the left wing. N.C. State missed its next five shots, and though the Orange missed its last seven from the floor, Syracuse saved itself going 3 of 4 from the foul line in the last three minutes.

Joseph Girard III scored 18 points for the Orange (11-11, 5-6 ACC) while Buddy Boheim added 17 and Jimmy Boeheim 16. Three reserves combined to play 20 minutes and didn't score.

Terquavion Smith hit seven 3-pointers and scored 25 points for the Wolfpack (10-13, 3-9) and Sebron had 17. Jaylon Gibson scored a career-high 14 points filling in for Ebenezer Dowuona and Thomas Allen added 11.

N.C. State hit 10 of 20 3-pointers in the first half and led 45-42 at the half. Casey Morsell promptly hit the 11th to start the second half but Syracuse then went on a run, making its first 11 shots of the second half, four of them 3-pointers.

Edwards had a dunk to start an 11-0 run, Jimmy Boeheim scored five points in a 9-0 run and Girard's 3 made it 66-55 with 13:15 left. N.C. State, which was 3 of 12, then made six straight shots pulling within 70-68 on an Allen 3.

But Syracuse never cooled off, making 17 of 23 in the second half (74%), including 7 of 9 3-pointers (78%).

A 3-pointer by Smith that put N.C. State on top 20-18 in the middle of the first half started a string where the Wolfpack put up eight-straight 3-pointers. They made five with Smith's shot completing the run for a 32-25 lead.

Syracuse finished at 59%, making 11 of 19 3-pointers (58%). N.C. State was 16 of 39 behind the arc (41%) and shot 43% overall, making just 2 of its last 11 shots.

Syracuse is home against Louisville on Saturday when the Wolfpack are home against Notre Dame.

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