Instant observations: NC State comes out flat in loss at Syracuse, remains winless on road

NC State’s trip to an ice cream shop for a postgame treat on the road will have to wait … again.  The Wolfpack, which has yet to win outside of Raleigh, didn’t look like a team that was ready to go for an ACC battle on the road at Syracuse. And as a result, the Orange handed the Pack a 74-60 loss on Wednesday night, the team’s 11th straight loss away from home this season. NC State is one of eight Division I teams without a win on the road or neutral floor this season, and is just one of two Power Conference squads in that group -- Miami is the other. The Pack is now 0-11 away from the 919 zip code this season. And that was puzzling after the Wolfpack entered the game with almost its season on the brink. NC State was on the outside looking in to make the ACC Tournament when it arrived in Central New York with a chance of tying Syracuse for one of the last spots in the field. Instead, it almost appeared as if the Orange wanted it more.  Syracuse (12-16, 6-11 ACC) led wire-to-wire in the game as it shot 58.3 percent from the field, including a 37.5 percent mark from beyond the 3-point arc. NC State, meanwhile, posted a 34.4 percent mark from the floor with a 29.6 percent clip from deep.  Senior wing Dontrez Styles led the Wolfpack (11-17, 4-13 ACC) with 17 points, all in the second half, while graduate guard Michael O’Connell added 9 and senior guard Marcus Hill chipped in with 8.  Here are three observations from the Pack’s 13th defeat in ACC play.