GAME NOTES: Syracuse will be playing its final game of the season on Saturday, as the Orange travel south to face the NC State Wolfpack in an ACC tilt.

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim was quoted in a press conference on Wednesday says his team has "nothing to play for except pride," beings the program put itself on a one-year postseason ban for previous NCAA violations.

Then came Friday's announcement from the NCAA, which handed down more sanctions on the program, including a loss of three scholarships per year through the 2018-19 campaign, vacated wins in which ineligible students participated, and levied a nine-game suspension on Boeheim at the start of the 2015-16 ACC season. The university's athletic department was also placed on probation for the next five years.

The Orange would have been in contention for a No. 6 seed in the upcoming conference tournament, as they head into the final weekend tied with Miami- Florida and NC State with a 9-8 record.

The Wolfpack are riding a 4-1 stretch that has seen them upend nationally- ranked Louisville and North Carolina on the road. They followed up a head- scratching 16-point loss at Boston College with a 66-61 win at Clemson on Tuesday.

Clemson stayed close before a 17-0 run by the Wolfpack in the second half essentially put the game away. NC State made up for 18 turnovers by making 23 free throws and holding Clemson to 29.9 percent shooting. Ralston Turner scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Anthony Barber and Trevor Lacey chipped in with 16 and 10 points, respectively, in the victory.

Those three players -- Lacey, Turner and Barber -- have carried the Wolfpack's offense all season. Lacey is putting up a team-best 16.0 ppg, is second in assists (99) and third in rebounds (4.5 rpg), while Turner and Barber are checking in a 13.2 and 11.8 ppg, respectively. The three have combined for all but 33 of the team's 3-pointers, with Turner's 79 leading the way.

The Orange lost in their home finale last Monday, as No. 2 Virginia came away with a 59-47 in a typically low-scoring game for the Cavaliers. The loss was Syracuse's fourth in the last six games, meaning the team will fall short of 20 wins for the first time since 1996-97.

Syracuse was able to force 20 turnovers and held an 11-point lead midway through the first half, but struggled offensively the rest of the way. The Orange shot just 38.3 percent overall and made just 4-of-19 attempts from 3- point range. Trevor Cooney had 14 points, and Rakeem Christmas netted 10 in his final game at the Carrier Dome.

For the season, the Orange are putting up 68.0 ppg and are connecting on only 30.2 percent of their long-range shots. Christmas has been the team's top performer, as he averages 17.6 points and 9.0 rebounds per game to rank among the league leaders in both categories. Cooney and Michael Gbinije account for 13.5 and 12.8 ppg, respectively to round out the double-digit scorers for the Orange, who goad the enemy into more than 14 turnovers per outing. They are also on the plus-side of the ledger with regard to rebounding differential (+1.5).

Hearing the crippling penalties from the NCAA probably stunned the Orange heading into their final game of what has turned into a lost season. Boeheim will try to rally the troops, but NC State will smell blood and come away victorious.