Gameday Preview: NC State Travels To Syracuse to Take On Orange

Feb 26, 2025

NC State Wolfpack (11-16, 4-12 ACC) at Syracuse Orange (11-16, 5-11 ACC)

Syracuse hosts NC State on Wednesday night. 

The Orange have gone 9-6 in home games. Syracuse is third in the ACC with 34.9 points per game in the paint led by Eddie Lampkin Jr. averaging 8.2.

The Wolfpack have gone 4-12 against ACC opponents. NC State has a 7-14 record against opponents over .500.

Syracuse’s average of 6.6 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.3 more made shots on average than the 6.3 per game NC State gives up. NC State averages 6.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.0 fewer made shots on average than the 8.5 per game Syracuse gives up.

The Orange and Wolfpack meet Wednesday for the first time in conference play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: JJ Starling averages 1.7 made 3-pointers per game for the Orange, scoring 18.5 points while shooting 28.4% from beyond the arc. 

Dontrez Styles is averaging 10.6 points for the Wolfpack. Trey Parker is averaging 1.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Wednesday Storylines

Senior guard Dontrez Styles registered his second double-double of the season with 22 points and 10 rebounds on Saturday. Styles has now scored 18 or more points in five of the last eight games for the Pack. Over the last eight outings, Styles is averaging 14.1 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game. The Kingston, N.C., native has made 19 three-pointers while shooting 44.2 percent from long-range during the last eight game stretch.

Despite tying its season-high with 13 turnovers on Saturday, NC State still has had six or fewer turnovers in three of its last six games. The Pack has had single digit turnovers in eight of its last 12 games and 14 overall games this season. NC State leads the ACC and ranks 11th in the NCAA in fewest turnovers per game (9.4). NC State is aiming for a fourth straight season ranked as one of the nation’s best teams in valuing the basketball. 

Freshmen Paul McNeil posted three of his double-digit scoring games in the last four games. He’s scored 65 percent of his total points this season (52 of 80) in the last four games. Fellow freshman Trey Parker is  averaging 8.6 points per game over the last eight outings and has scored 58.5 percent of his total points this season in the last seven games. There are only three active ACC players (and 31 total active players in DI) that have over 500 career assists. Two of those players NC Stste’s Michael O’Connell (509 assists) and Syracuse’s Jaquan Carlos (500) will be on the court Wednesday night.

NC State series with Syracuse

Wednesday will be the 22nd all-time meeting between NC State and Syracuse. The Orange lead the all-time series, 14-7. NC State won the most recent meeting between the two programs, but prior to that win, the Pack had lost seven straight to Syracuse. The last meeting was March 13, 2024 where NC State went on a 21-2 run early in the second half to beat Syracuse, 83-65, in the second round of the ACC Tournament.