North Carolina State Wolfpack at Syracuse Orange

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Syracuse Orange (-12)
Game Total Line: (143)
(wagering lines available at 5Dimes)

The North Carolina State Wolfpack, out of the ACC travels north to take on the Big East power Syracuse Orange this Saturday afternoon. Tip-off from the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. is set for 5:15 p.m. and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.

North Carolina State cruised through its first three games to open the season but comes into this one having lost two out of its last three to fall to 4-2 straight-up on the year. Two weeks ago in the Charleston Classic, the Wolfpack could not hang with Georgetown in a 82-67 loss as a six-point underdog and this past Wednesday they were crushed by Wisconsin 87-48 as a 9 ½ point road underdog. The total in both those games went ‘over’ the closing line. They now have the unenviable task of trying to stop the slide against the seventh ranked team in the country.

Against the Hoyas, NC State hung tough early and took a 37-37 tie in to the second half, but a 15-0 run by Georgetown quickly put the game out of reach. Sophomore forward Richard Howell came off the bench to lead the Wolfpack with 14 points. The ACC/Big 10 Challenge never materialized against the Badgers, as they fell behind by 23 points at the half en route to an ugly 39-point loss. Sophomore forward Scott Wood was the only player in double figures and led the team with 13 points in the lopsided loss.

Wood along with freshman guard Lorenzo Brown are both averaging just under 12 points a game and Howell leads the Wolfpack in rebounds with 6.7 per game. As a team, they are shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 69.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Syracuse (7-0) has pretty much cruised through its first seven games with the exception of a three-point 63-60 win over a stubborn William & Mary team as a 21-point home favorite two weeks ago and a three-point 53-50 win over Michigan as a 6 ½ point favorite in the semifinals of the Legends Classic last weekend.

The Orange only managed to shoot 36.7 percent from the floor in their game against the Tribe and were just 22.7 percent from beyond the arc. Junior forward Kris Joseph, who led the team with 18 points, needed to hit two big free throws late in the game to seal the win. Joseph’s game-high 22 points also led the way in Syracuse’s win over the Wolverines, but this one came down to the wire as well.

Joseph leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.6 points per game and senior forward Rick Jackson is the leading rebounder with 13 per game. The Orange has a 43.6 shooting percentage from the floor, but are hitting just 62.7 percent of their free throws.

NC State is 4-2 SU and 2-3 against the spread. The total has gone ‘over’ in all four games it has played this season with a closing line.

Syracuse is 7-0 SU but just 2-5 ATS overall and 5-0 SU and 2-3 ATS at home The total has stayed ‘under’ in four of the six games with a closing line.

ATS Game Pick

This game is tough to call based on past results; with the Wolfpack getting blown out against the only stiff competition they have faced, and the Orange looking less than spectacular against some of the better teams they have played. The bottom line is that Syracuse matches up well with NC State and has a much deeper bench, so stick with the home team to lay another double-digit loss on the struggling visitors.
Take Syracuse -12 at Sportsbook.com.