Syracuse (18-10, 8-7 Atlantic Coast) faces a must-win game against North Carolina State (14-14, 4-11) at the Carrier Dome Saturday. Anthony “Cat” Barber leads the ACC in points per game with 23.5 and scores 32 percent of the Wolfpack’s scoring this season.

Check out how our beat writers think the matchup will unfold.

Sam Blum (19-9)
N.C. State 75, Syracuse 70
Barber Shop

Syracuse isn’t playing good basketball going into its first must-win game of the season. With the Orange going up against one of the best in the conference in Anthony “Cat” Barber, Syracuse gets shocked on its own court. And because of that, Saturday might not be the season’s last Carrier Dome game. Home court advantage in the NIT is hardly a silver lining.

Jesse Dougherty (19-9)
Syracuse 76, N.C. State 71
Cat got your tongue?

N.C. State can really only win in shootouts, and it doesn’t quite get to that point in the Carrier Dome on Saturday. Cat Barber gets his, like he tends to do, but the Wolfpack’s other threats can’t get going against an extended Syracuse zone. The Orange gets exposed on the offensive glass because of aggressive play on the wings, but second-chance points from the N.C. State frontcourt aren’t the sidekick Barber needs to hand SU a crippling loss.

Matt Schneidman (20-8)
Syracuse 71, NCST 62
Cat in the bag

Let’s face it, a loss here and Syracuse’s NCAA Tournament hopes aren’t so certain anymore. A team that’s been dominated on the glass lately needs to reverse that against a Wolfpack team with Beejay Anya and Abdul Malik-Abu down low. But even if the Orange does get outrebounded, Trevor Cooney and Michael Gbinije do enough to outplay N.C. State star Cat Barber in the backcourt and hold off an upset on a ceremonious Senior Day for SU’s guards.

Published on February 25, 2016 at 11:01 pm