Naithan George Orchestrates Syracuse Offense with Career-High 13 Assists in Win Over Florida State
Syracuse’s 94-86 win over Florida State on Tuesday night wasn’t just about the final score-it was about the man pulling the strings behind it all. Naithan George, the Orange’s sophomore point guard, delivered a masterclass in floor generalship, finishing with a career-high 13 assists and giving the JMA Wireless Dome crowd plenty to cheer about.
George’s fingerprints were all over this one, especially on a pair of inbounds plays that showed just how dangerous a smart point guard can be when he’s reading the defense like a seasoned quarterback. Early in the first half, George looked right, baiting the Florida State defenders into shifting their coverage.
Then, with a quick pivot and a laser pass, he found Tyler Betsey wide open in the corner. Betsey buried the three.
Fast forward to the second half-same setup, different result. This time, George glanced toward the corner again.
The FSU defenders, burned once already, overreacted. That’s all the window Donnie Freeman needed.
George hit him in stride for an easy layup and the foul. It was the kind of play that looks simple on paper, but in real-time, it’s all about vision, timing, and feel.
Florida State head coach Luke Loucks was still thinking about those two plays after the final buzzer. He hadn’t realized George had racked up 13 assists until he glanced at the box score.
“Goodness gracious, he had 13 assists tonight,” Loucks said. “That’s what you get from him.
He did a really good job selling things with his eyes-and that’s what good guards do. They shift defenses just by looking.”
And George wasn’t just padding stats. His passes were impactful, creating high-percentage looks and controlling the tempo in a game that moved fast.
Syracuse put up a season-high 94 points, and George was the engine behind it. He added eight points, four rebounds, two steals, and only four turnovers in a game that demanded poise and pace.
“He’s been really good the last couple of games-double-digit assists,” Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry said. “He’s the key to running this offense.”
George is coming off an 11-assist performance against Pittsburgh, and his 13 dimes against Florida State now mark back-to-back games with double-digit assists. That’s no small feat in the ACC. His 5.8 assists per game rank sixth in the conference, and his assist rate is the highest by a Syracuse player since Michael Carter-Williams averaged 7.3 back in 2013.
But it wasn’t just the numbers-it was the flair. George had the Dome crowd buzzing with passes that threaded needles and plays that made defenders look a step slow. Four of his assists went to center William Kyle, including a lob in the final minute that looked like a miss-until Kyle, with his 44-inch vertical, soared to grab it and throw it down.
“Man, you can just see the way he jumps,” George said. “It’s like I have to throw it to him. He’s so high above the ground-I don’t know how anybody can’t trust him.”
Kyle made sure to thank his point guard after the game.
“It’s almost like I don’t even have to tell him anything,” Kyle said. “He just sees it.
Even the last play, that quick lob to finish the game-it’s like he sees everything. It’s crazy.
He’s a wizard out there.”
Turnovers have been a concern for George this season. Against Pitt, his 11 assists came with six giveaways.
That was his second straight game with six turnovers. But Tuesday night was a step forward.
He kept things tighter, finishing with just four turnovers despite handling the ball for most of the game.
“[Tuesday] he took care of the basketball,” Autry said. “A couple turnovers late, but when you’re a point guard and you have the ball that much, and you’re a passer like him, that can happen. But I thought he did a really good job, especially at the end of the game, closing out and just taking care of the basketball.”
George’s performance wasn’t just efficient-it was electric. He dictated the pace, carved up one of the ACC’s better baseline defenses, and made the game easier for everyone around him. If he keeps this up, Syracuse’s offense could be in for a strong second half of the season-with George at the wheel.