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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Adrian Autry, fuming, walked up to the press conference table, pulled the chair back aggressively and spitted out an apology as he spoke into the microphone.

“I want to apologize to our fans, our University for that performance,” Autry said. “Unacceptable, (it) won’t be tolerated, (it) won’t be allowed.”

The way Autry spoke at his postgame press conference represented the demeanor and utter disappointment behind Syracuse’s (14-8, 5-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) 99-70 loss against Wake Forest (14-7, 6-4 ACC) — its second-worst loss in the ACC following the 103-67 defeat to UNC in January.

The Demon Deacons dominated from start to finish, shooting 66% from the field, the program’s seventh-highest shooting percentage in a single game. It was the best mark in an ACC game for the team since shooting 67.6% against Clemson in 1971. Wake Forest punished SU with 12 3-pointers and four double-digit scorers as Wake Forest remained undefeated at home. “The whole game” angered Autry, he said, mentioning his team’s body language was “terrible.”

“Twice this year, too many times,” Autry said, referencing the Orange’s loss at UNC on Jan. 13, though he didn’t specify.

Syracuse couldn’t get a basket to fall in the first half, struggling with its jumpers, and started the game 1-of-5 from the field. The Orange’s 40.3% from the field couldn’t compete with WF’s shooting clip as SU saw itself down double-digits once again to another ACC opponent. But in comparison to their recent game vs. Boston College, the Orange had no chance of coming back.

Autry said their practice following the loss to BC wasn’t “good enough” while Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes said he felt his team won this game in practice on Thursday and Friday, which led to its season-high shooting performance.

The Demon Deacons’ weapon was Hunter Sallis. He entered the outing averaging a team-high 18 points per game, and dropped 24 against the Orange, including four 3-pointers.

“We knew that we’d have open looks today,” Sallis said. “That’s kind of the stuff that we’ve been working on.”

Sallis said the whole week leading up to the game that Wake Forest had been practicing its pick-and-roll offense. It was lethal versus Syracuse, as it always left a player open once a Syracuse defender rotated.

Judah Mintz tied the game at seven with a much-needed 3-pointer, but soon thereafter, Syracuse found itself into a hole, conceding an 8-0 run to the Demon Deacons, forcing Autry to call a timeout midway through the first half. Following a Cameron Hildreth floater, Parker Friedrichsen and Sallis hit back-to-back 3s to push the deficit to 15-7.

In a few instances, Syracuse found ways to slowly inch back, but WF always responded and then sprinted away. Damari Monsanto had missed three 3s in a couple of minutes but he kept shooting, and on the fourth, with Syracuse out of position defensively, he swished a right corner 3.

Monsanto’s 3-pointer was assisted, one of 16 on the evening for the Demon Deacons. Forbes said the team also had nine “sprays,” where a player drives and then kicks out for a perimeter jump shot.

“They were going through their offense,” Maliq Brown said. “They were getting out in transition and our defense was lacking and it showed up on the scoreboard.”

After Quadir Copeland went 1-of-2 from the free throw line, Wake Forest enjoyed another 8-0 run, extending the lead into double digits. Sallis, who scored 15 first-half points, hit another right wing 3. The Demon Deacons built a 28-15 advantage, which was the deficit the Orange roughly trailed by for the remainder of the half.

It was frustrating for Syracuse, which couldn’t get a basket. The Demon Deacons shot 67.9% from the field — it was their highest field goal percentage in a half this season. After Justin Taylor missed three 3-pointers in a span of 64 seconds, a corner 3 from J.J. Starling with four minutes remaining felt like a sigh of relief, a feeling that was short-lived as the frustration kept mounting.

Mintz had driven down the right side of the lane, but his layup that rolled around the rim was negated by a Brown goaltending call. Then, Benny Williams picked up a technical foul for aggressively throwing the ball away from the officials after he was called for a loose ball foul. Lastly, after Kyle Cuffe Jr. tried to drive baseline, he tried to kick it out but had no passing window.

“Wake Forest played really well together,” Starling said. “They got out in transition. Those were things that we wanted to limit them on. They just executed their offense.”

The second half was all WF — Copeland and Brown eventually fouled out of the game. The Wake Forest lead reached as high as 33, and Syracuse managed to cut it at times, but the Demon Deacons always seemed to respond. Staring said it was “embarrassing” to almost give up 100 points and Brown said everyone in the locker room was “disappointed.”

“We should not lose like this. (It) should not happen,” Autry said.

Published on February 3, 2024 at 10:30 pm

Contact Cole: [email protected] | @ColeBambini