Syracuse men’s basketball:Three takeaways from 75-72 win over No. 23 NC State

A Jesse Edwards three-pointer decided this game.

No, not a three-point play. A three from distance.

Syracuse Orange fans who didn’t see Wednesday night’s game are probably dazed and confused looking at the box score. To be fair, those in attendance at the JMA Wireless Dome were probably feeling the same way. A wildly inefficient offensive game between Syracuse and the NC State Wolfpack ended with a 75-72 Orange victory.

Here are our three takeaways from a game that can certainly be described as a game:

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Beating them at their own game

NC State came into the game against Syracuse as the best team in the ACC in turnover margin. The Wolfpack also came into the game as the best team in the conference in steals per game. However, Syracuse won the turnover battle with only 10 turnovers to NC State’s 12. That might seem small, but consider that 42 missed NC State shots and those turnovers led to 21 fastbreak points for the Orange. The transition game was vital to Syracuse’s success in a game where half-court efficiency was at a premium.

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Making his case

This was Judah Mintz’s most important game of his college career to prove to NBA scouts that he deserves a chance at the next level. While Mintz has shown flashes of potential, it didn’t all click against tougher opposition. Against a great defensive team, Mintz shined with his classic dribble-drive ability and showcased great passing to supplement his scoring. 20 points on 7-12 shooting with nine assists and one turnover is a fantastic line for the young guard. This was a stock-raising game for him.

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Not enough

Syracuse fans might start salivating at a chance at the NCAA tournament with a win over a ranked opponent, but don’t start dreaming yet. NC State’s NET rating is 36. Even though the Wolfpack have the best NET rating among teams Syracuse has defeated, the win only qualifies as a quad-two win. NC State needs to get into the top 30 to qualify as a quad-one win. With the selection committee placing more emphasis on those quad-one victories, Syracuse's resume still looks shaky at best.