But amidst all the dismay and disarray, having the ability to have a contending team and have a shot to compete in the postseason is a light at the end of the tunnel, something to look forward to.
One day after the NCAA blasted the Orange basketball program with one of the strongest penalties in intercollegiate athletics history, the Wolfpack routed SU, 71-57, in the regular season finale between the two teams.
A huge run from the end of the first half into the early second half turned an eight point deficit into a 17 point North Carolina State lead. Syracuse would never recover from there.
The self-imposed, 2014-15 finale against the Wolfpack marks the earliest a Syracuse basketball season has ended since the 1969-70 team went 12-12 and finished on March 2 of that year.
Michael Gbinije has evolved into an all-purpose player who is simply one of the best in the ACC and should be named to one of the all-conference teams.