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A sense of jubilation surrounded Syracuse’s program after it upset then-No. 7 North Carolina on Feb. 13, 2024. It was SU’s first win over an AP Top 10 opponent since 2019. Outside of their 2021 Sweet 16 run, it was arguably the Orange’s peak of the 2020s.

At that point, Adrian Autry showed signs he was indeed ready and a fitting choice to replace Jim Boeheim at the helm. But fast forward a year, again hosting the Tar Heels, those emotions feel like a lost memory.

Amid Syracuse’s pace for its fewest wins in a season since notching 12 in the 1969-70 season, questions surrounding whether Autry should get a third year have surfaced. It’s been clear the “Orange Standard” hasn’t been met. And SU has continuously found ways to create new lows.

Syracuse’s (11-15, 5-10 Atlantic Coast) newest low was dropping its 10th Atlantic Coast Conference game in an 88-82 loss to North Carolina (15-11, 8-6 Atlantic Coast). It’s the third time in the last four seasons the Orange have dropped double-digit conference games. Entering its final five regular-season games, SU has a two-game advantage over NC State in the win column to secure the final ACC Tournament spot.

“There’s no more victories,” Autry said postgame. “They’re disappointed. I’m very disappointed. I think everyone is disappointed.”

Fighting for a spot in the conference tournament is more than disappointing. It’s embarrassing. Syracuse is a program that should be regarded as one of the best teams in the ACC. Instead, its biggest game remaining is against the Wolfpack, where the final spot to qualify for the ACC Tournament — which three programs won’t make — could be up for grabs.

“It’s different now with the ACC, we gotta qualify, not everybody makes it,” forward Lucas Taylor said. “So that’s something that we’re definitely trying to make, to be able to win the tournament and go to the NCAA Tournament.”

The NCAA Tournament has historically been the standard at SU. Though in Boeheim’s final years and Autry’s first two, it’s been a pipe dream. While a different scenario because of North Carolina’s success in Roy Williams’ final years, fourth-year head coach Hubert Davis already has two March Madness runs under his belt.

However, like the Orange, this year’s team has been a massive disappointment. Following a run to the Sweet 16 last year and landing No. 9 in the AP Preseason Poll, UNC is likely on the outside looking in on the NCAA Tournament.

It made Saturday’s matchup pivotal for both teams. And for SU, facing an underachieving opponent it had success against last year, it could’ve sparked a late-season turnaround. It almost did. But it didn’t.

Early in the second half, UNC extended its lead to a game-high 11 points at 52-41. Much of its success stemmed from dominating behind the 3-point line, where it finished the game shooting 13-of-28.

That dominance was propelled by freshman Ian Jackson, who finished with a team-high 23 points on five 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Jae’Lyn Withers added a season-high 19 points with three made 3s. The Orange, on the other hand, shot 4-of-13 from beyond the arc.

While the Tar Heels never trailed in the game, SU consistently kept it close. Led by J.J. Starling’s second-half resurgence, where he scored 20 of his 22 points after getting in first-half foul trouble, Syracuse trailed 82-78 with 1:12 remaining.

Though Taylor sent UNC’s Elliot Cadeau to the free throw line instantly after, the guard missed the front end of his one-and-one. Starling then drove the ball inside, corralled his miss and re-fired another miss. Battling for the rebounds, SU’s Eddie Lampkin Jr. was fouled.

Following Armando Bacot’s graduation, UNC has greatly lacked an interior presence. It was ever-so apparent Saturday as Lampkin notched a game-high 26 points and 11 rebounds. With the Orange in the double bonus, Lampkin went to the charity stripe and drained both attempts.

“Points have not been the problem this year,” Autry said.

With 58 seconds left, Syracuse trailed by just two. It was a defensive stop away from having the chance to tie the game or take the lead. Despite shuffling between man and zone throughout, the Orange’s defensive struggles from their loss to ACC bottom dweller Miami on Tuesday persisted.

In crunch time, Autry turned to man. It led to a one-on-one between Cadeau and Jaquan Carlos. Ten feet behind the 3-point line along the left sideline, Cadeau spun around Carlos, who was pressed up on him.

With the lane cleared because forward Ven-Allen Lubin set a back screen for RJ Davis — North Carolina’s leading scorer who scored 16 points — Cadeau had a free lane to the rim with Carlos trailing. He easily converted on the deuce.

Needing an answer with 40 seconds remaining, Starling initially pushed the ball downcourt but was double-teamed. This forced him to pass to Carlos at the top of the key, who quickly swung to Kyle Cuffe Jr. behind the left wing.

Despite tight defense from Drake Powell, Cuffe hoisted a 3. The reserve guard, who averages 5.2 points per game and shoots 30% from beyond the arc, missed the mark. It forced the Orange into fouling, and the Tar Heels closed out a much-needed 88-82 win for their NCAA Tournament hopes.

“It’s very disappointing,” Lampkin said postgame. “I feel like we’re a better team than the way we always play, and we just need to figure out what we need to do for these last five games to try to get into postseason, that’s all that really matters.”

Autry said his message to SU with five games remaining while holding onto the final spot for the ACC Tournament is to try to win its next game and find ways for everyone to improve. But time is running out.

And if the Orange continue their poor play to finish the season, who knows what shakeups could come? While those decisions are to be determined, one thing is certain: Saturday was a far cry from where the program was following its best win under Autry last year.

Published on February 15, 2025 at 8:36 pm

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon