Syracuse hits new low of Autry era with 4th straight loss
Kiyan Anthony notched just six points in 17 minutes Tuesday, as Syracuse lost 88-68 to NC State. It was SU's fourth-straight defeat, marking the worst skid in Adrian Autry's tenure. Courtesy of SU Athletics
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Through all the trials and tribulations of Adrian Autry’s first 85 games as Syracuse’s head coach, no sequence involved a four-game losing streak.
In his first season, the Orange never lost more than two games in a row. In Year 2, SU dropped three-straight games twice, but nothing further. Even through a string of four-straight Quad 1 games early in Year 3, the Orange still captured a win. But Autry and Co. is now hitting new lows.
Syracuse (12-9, 3-5 Atlantic Coast) fell to NC State (15-6, 6-2 ACC) 88-68 on Tuesday for its fourth-straight loss. The Orange began conference play at an impressive 3-1, but two weeks later, they’ve barreled down to the bottom tier of the league.
“They capitalized on every mistake. And in this league, you can’t do that,” Autry said postgame. “These teams are too good, and we dug ourselves a hole, and we couldn’t get out of it.”
SU’s holes have recently been dug from the onset. On Saturday against Miami, the Orange fell behind 9-0 before falling by nine. Three days later in Raleigh, Syracuse trailed 10-2. It never led in either contest.
The Orange’s worst loss in ACC play remained close into the second half, even coming within two points. Yet NC State exploded for a 16-point second half advantage, scoring 33 points across the final 12 minutes. It was SU’s 21st double digit loss under Autry, and the third in Year 3.
The Wolfpack entered as one of the most efficient offenses in the country, shooting 39% from 3 for the 13th-best mark in the country. With former Syracuse guard Quadir Copeland at the forefront, NC State’s plethora of offensive weapons made things difficult throughout the evening. Eventually, the levee broke.
“I feel like we just got outplayed top to bottom,” Donnie Freeman, who dropped a game-high 24 points, said postgame.
When the Orange built their roster in the offseason, they revolved their acquisitions around the return of Freeman and J.J. Starling. While Starling was a prolific scorer a year ago, it was partially due to the lackluster support around him. SU brought in ACC assists leader Naithan George to help. More than two-thirds through the season, George is still looking for answers.
While the point guard’s turnovers have decreased as of late, his shooting numbers have become horrific. George went 2-for-12 from the field and 0-for-4 from 3. As Starling looked to provide a spark, he returned to his form from a season ago.
Starling — who averaged 17.8 points per game last season — entered Tuesday taking 10 shots per game on 44% shooting this year. He took 19 shots against the Wolfpack at a 37% clip.
The mantra of defense and playing with energy was a strong suit for the Orange when they played at their best through the season’s first half. But it’s since become a negative point.
Postgame, Autry classified freshman Sadiq White — who fouled out in just 10 minutes — as the “only one trying” defensively. He then corrected himself, saying White did a “decent enough job” when trying to guard NC State star Darrion Williams. Williams, the Preseason ACC Player of the Year, finished with 23 points and five assists on 9-for-16 shooting.
The Orange have now allowed 83.2 points per game across their last five. They allowed 65.7 points per game in the 16 games prior.
“We just got to get back to the way we were playing before,” George said. “Playing defense super hard, rebounding, just playing our game.”
If the agony of a fourth-straight defeat wasn’t enough, Copeland dazzled throughout the evening against his old squad. He described the game as “personal,” and punished the coaching staff that he felt never allowed him a true chance as its main ball handler. Copeland dropped dime after dime while notching 19 points with a perfect 9-for-9 performance from the charity stripe.
When Copeland and Co.’s damage was done, Autry decided to empty his bench. Bench players like Bryce Zephir and Luke Fennell finished out the game, while Calvin Russell III saw his first glimpse of college playing time, finishing an and-1 in the process. Autry said he was trying to look for different combinations to provide effort, hoping to escape the next chapter of the skid with a positive.
With each loss, a new layer of downhill momentum builds. It’s apparent what’s at stake, in the present and for Autry’s future. The Orange have no choice but to keep going. But the clock is ticking.
“We can’t fix what’s already been done,” Freeman said.
