Just a few days ago, I wrote about Kiyan Anthony's maturity level and how it's really impressed me in his first season with the Syracuse men's basketball program. Even as his minutes have shrunk in conference play, Anthony has proven to be a good and supportive teammate, and that's been evident even as frustrations for the program have mounted in recent weeks.

Take these comments, which came after a loss to Virginia Tech on Wednesday at the JMA Wireless Dome.

"From my perspective, it's different because of the position I'm in, but obviously watching those guys finish the game every night, I'm cheering them on. I hope they can finish it. But we've dropped a couple but we've just got to do better as a team, as a coaching staff and as players, we've just got to come together better and do better overall."

Well, after a nine-point loss against Miami on Saturday, Anthony offered an interesting response in a postgame media session. He had 13 points against the Hurricanes, which was second to only Donnie Freeman, who had 14. He played 21 minutes, slightly more than he has been playing.

"I think I've proven to myself and everybody that I can contribute to this team. In the ACC, like I said, just adjusting to the physicality and everything like that. But when I'm given an opportunity with 20-plus minutes, 18 minutes, stuff like that, I feel like I can produce more, and I feel like I showed that today. Just coming in, providing a spark, I think we started off 9-0 or something like that. Just providing a spark as far as me and Tyler (Betsey), trying to hit some threes, trying to make some free-throws and everything like that. I feel like we did a good job in that aspect, but we just came up short."

I think yes, but I think he's doing it in a subtle way. I have been around Anthony multiple times. He's honest and transparent, but I don't believe he's demanding or entitled. I think he genuinely wants his team to do well, and I think he genuinely wants his teammates to do well. If the team was winning with him playing a lesser role, I believe he'd be OK with that, truthfully. However, with the team scuffling, I think he thinks he can help. I do think these comments reflect that, but I don't believe he's trying to publicly apply pressure to head coach Adrian Autry.

We'll see if Autry gives Anthony more minutes coming up based on this solid performance.

The Orange will take on NC State on Tuesday night. The Wolfpack are 5-2 inside ACC play.

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