How NC State Picked Apart Syracuse's Defense

RALEIGH — NC State needed to get things corrected in its home building. Unfortunately for Syracuse, those corrections came at the expense of the Orange, as the Wolfpack throttled the visiting team 88-68 to snap a two-game home losing streak and get back on track in the Lenovo Center once again.

Syracuse head coach Adrian "Red" Autry had more questions than answers about the performance of his team, which crumbled down the stretch as his former player, Quadir Copeland, relentlessly attacked the Orange. The opposing perspective from Autry offered some clarity on what the Wolfpack did to discombobulate the Orange and secure the sixth win of the ACC season.

What Autry said about NC State

Throughout the buildup to the game, the main storyline was how Syracuse and Quadir Copeland would face off against one another after they parted ways two seasons ago. It was the Wolfpack guard who won the night, showing the dominance he developed away from Central New York and what he could do in the primary ball-handler role he was never offered with the Orange.

"We were trying to guard (Copeland), trying to make it difficult for him and, obviously, I think he's probably playing at an All-Conference level right now," Autry said. "6-foot-6 guard that can move, wiggle, see over the defense, see over the traps. He's used to that. He's the main guy on the scouting report and we were trying to slow him down a little bit... The biggest thing that Quadir does is he gets people involved."

Copeland dominated his former coach and team to the tune of 19 points and nine assists. His ability to disrupt Syracuse's zone defensive looks and man defensive looks made life very difficult for Autry's team to generate enough stops. The onslaught from both Copeland and Darrion Williams overwhelmed the Orange.

"Our guards didn't do a good job of keeping people in front," Autry said. "It put a lot of pressure on our front court. I thought our rotations... had a lot of breakdowns. I thought we did a good job of taking the 3-point shooters and keeping those guys in check, but keeping the ball in front, fundamentally, we did a horrific job today."

Jan 27, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack forward Darrion Williams (1) celebrates during the second half of the game against the Syracuse Orange at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Autry credited the entire NC State team for being able to take advantage of his team's defensive breakdowns, which ultimately led to a hole too deep to dig out of. The Orange hung around, but the Wolfpack's starpower was too much for Autry and Syracuse to overcome on Tuesday.

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