SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Judah Mintz scored 20 points and Syracuse knocked off No. 23 North Carolina State 75-72 on Tuesday night.
With the score tied at 70 with two minutes to go, Jesse Edwards finished strong at the rim, plus the foul, to give the Orange a three-point lead. Syracuse would then use a mixture of defensive pressure and clutch free-throw shooting to hold on for the victory.
Edwards finished with 18 points for Syracuse (16-10, 9-6 ACC), which also got 11 from Chris Bell, 10 from Malik Brown and 14 from Joe Girard III.
D.J. Burns Jr. and Jarkel Joiner each scored 15 points for the Wolfpack (20-7, 10-6), who were coming off a 92-62 victory at Boston College on Saturday.
NC State’s backcourt of Terquavion Smith and Joiner entered Tuesday’s game as the highest-scoring duo in the ACC. Together they were averaging 34.7 points per game. Smith, who scored his 1,000th-career point against Boston College, finished Tuesday’s game with 14 points.
Syracuse’s advantage came at the charity stripe. They were 16-for-17, while the Wolfpack shot just 3-for-5.
STAT OF THE NIGHT
Edwards, Syracuse’s 6-foot-11 center, was perfect from 3 after making his first career triple with the shot clock winding down early in the second half. It was his first attempt in four seasons with the Orange.
BIG PICTURE
NC State: The Wolfpack entered Tuesday’s game as winners of five of their last six. Their only loss during that stretch was to No. 8 Virginia on Feb. 7. NC State, which was picked to finish 10th in the conference preseason poll, currently holds the No. 5 spot, just two games in the win column behind ACC leaders Virginia and Pittsburgh.
Syracuse: The Wolfpack are the fifth ranked opponent the Orange have faced this season. SU has not beaten a ranked team.
UP NEXT
NC State: Hosting North Carolina on Sunday
Syracuse: Hosting Duke on Saturday.
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