Five Takeaways from Syracuse's ACC Tournament Win Over NC State

What to make of the Orange's dominating win over the Wolfpack.

Syracuse picked up an impressive 89-68 win over NC State on Wednesday in the second round of the ACC Tournament. Here are the key takeaways from the victory. 

1. SYRACUSE IS A TOURNAMENT TEAM

This was not just a win, it was a statement. This performance showed the selection committee that Syracuse absolutely belongs in the field. Any question regarding the eye test was loudly answered Wednesday afternoon. When you look at Syracuse's, it is at worst comparable to several other bubble teams. This win, combined with Louisville and Xavier losses, should have the Orange in the field. Still, it does not hurt to have a few more bubble teams lose as well. Or Syracuse beating Virginia to remove any lingering doubt. 

2. EDWARDS, BRASWELL KEY OFF THE BENCH

Edwards and Braswell provided significant minutes off the bench. Edwards made things difficult for NC State inside, he controlled the boards with eight rebounds in 17 minutes, and provided defensive sparks. Edwards had just one block, but he had two more that were called fouls despite replays showing they were all ball. So in reality, Edwards had three blocks and eight rebounds in just 17 minutes. Braswell scored 11 points, had three rebounds and two steals in 21 minutes. His length bothered NC State defensively, and he made the most of his opportunities on the offensive end of the court. Braswell was 4-5 shooting including 2-3 from beyond the arc. 

3. OFFENSIVELY BALANCED

Syracuse had five players score in double figures and eight players make a basket. Buddy Boeheim will deservedly get the headlines, but Alan Griffin was really good with 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Quincy Guerrier had 12 points. Joe Girard had 14. It was much more than just Buddy shooting well. This was a stellar offensive performance all around. 

4. GIRARD SOLID THROUGHOUT

Joe Girard was solid against NC State. He had a couple of defensive lapses, but was better there than most of the season. He also distributed the ball well even though the stats only show three assists, made a couple of big buckets and got Syracuse into its offense. Syracuse will need more steady play from him in the next game. 

5. VIRGINIA WILL BE SIGNIFICANT TEST

Syracuse has played its best basketball of the season over the last three games, with each outing better than the last. It will need to continue that trend in order to upset Virginia. The Cavs have multiple assets that typically give Syracuse fits. Virginia has a big that can dominate inside but also stretch a defense in Jay Huff. It has sharp shooters including Sam Hauser. And, not to be outdone, Virginia has a penetrating, playmaking guard in Kihei Clark. Let's see how Syracuse responds.