Syracuse makes 3-point shots, rebounds and grabs victory in NC State (Donna Ditota’s quick hits)

In keeping with the 2020-21 tradition, striking news was delivered before the ball was tipped in Raleigh on Tuesday night.

Syracuse tweeted minutes from his men’s basketball account minutes before the game that Kadary Richmond (illness, non-Covid related) and Bourama Sidibe (sore knee) were doubtful to play against NC State. The last time Syracuse met NC State – on January 31 – we learned that DJ Funderburk was not available for the Wolfpack.

But then, voila! Richmond watched the game before the twelve minutes of the first half and things immediately became interesting. SU led 34-33 at half time. Final count: Syracuse 77, NC State 68.

The Orange achieved a much-needed victory in Raleigh.

This is what happened there:

Richmond is what happened. Sick or not, he was the difference (along with Alan Griffin) in the first half. He stole three first halves and was all sorts of disruptive to NC State, who turned the ball around at an alarming rate.

At one point, he stole two consecutive ones leading to leaking buckets. On one of them, a State player gave the ball to him. Richmond has such a nose, such a skill for basketball. He has great anticipation in the zone. And he can sneak a ball away if an attacking player least expects it.

His stealing power empowered Syracuse in that first half. He finished with six points in the first 20 minutes. Finish line: 8 points, 3 assistants, 4 steals, 4 stoppages. Some of that turnover came when he tried to play a home game instead of settling for a single.

It helped SU that NC State could not, for the life of it, owns the basketball. The Wolfpack turned it around 13 times in the first half. It was actually the only thing that delayed them to their offensive end. NC State shot 55 percent in the first half, but due to all the turnover, the state shot nine times the first half as the US.

The Orange scored 11 points from that turnover. Some opportunities in those situations seem to have been missed. But the 13 turnovers in the first half were not good for the Wolfpack. NC State, for the match, committed 20 turnovers. SU scored 21 points from the errors.

Syracuse made 3-point shots on Tuesday. It was really a great development for a team that struggled to drop shots from the perimeter. SU’s ability to make 3s in this match made a big difference.

At one point in the second half, the Orange was 7-for-16 from the 3-point line and led the Wolfpack 55-46.

Alan Griffin and Buddy Boeheim were the top three-point architects, though Rob Braswell came in halfway through the second half for a bad Quincy Guerrier and immediately drained a wing 3 off the bench. (I have a certain admiration for players who can put an entire game off the bench and shoot right away.)

For the night, the Orange sank 9-out-19 from the 3-point line. Griffin was 4-for-7, Boeheim was 3-for-5.

Alan Griffin made shots in the first half. He made deep 3s. He made mid-range jump shots. He picks up a loose ball and lays it in. He ends up in the lane.

Syracuse needs the score. No other Orange men, except for Richmond because of his own stealing capacity, brought much to the attacking table in the first half. Griffin contributed 14 points in the first half with 6-out-9 shooting. Syracuse needed every bucket.

Griffin finished with 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting.

Say, sometimes Tuesday, uses a Twin Tower approach from Manny Bates and DJ Funderburk against an Orange team that has already been disadvantaged in the size category as a central / power forward. Both guys are north of 6-10 and weigh 225-230.

When States went to the big group came Jericole Hellems, who was so important to attack the zone from the middle post, and State was not so fluid on the offensive side. However, both Bates and Funderburk had moments of pure, happy happiness on the Orange. As a combination of the mark team, they scored 20 points and 10 rebounds.

However, the double big guys also had something detrimental to the state on the defensive side when those big bodies had to chase Syracuse guys off the edge. And despite having two giant guys at the same time on different occasions, the state did not profit from the rebound category.

This and that: I suspect Joe Girard wants to get the ‘conversation’ back with an official after missing a first-half jump shot. This happened during a live ball situation and States on the other hand were polluted and converted. … Sidibe did not actually play against NC State. … Syracuse won the setback (32-28) on Tuesday, which was a barometer of success for the Orange this season. … The Orange also won the points in the paint category, 28-20. SU took advantage of different size advantages to score in the track against the Wolfpack. Buddy Boeheim for stretching, supports the much smaller Braxton Beverly in the painted area. Boeheim had a good night on the attack for SU – he scored three points in the first half, but appeared after the break. He finishes with 16 points and is 6-out-12 and 3-out-5 from 3 overall … … Quincy Guerrier, caught in a bit of error, finishes with 14 points and seven rebounds. … NC State shot 38 percent in the second half.

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