- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,145,046
- Reaction score
- 59
A few days removed from Tuesday's embarrassing loss to NC State, the North Carolina Tar Heels soon take the court again for another ACC clash.
UNC (20-6, 8-5 ACC) travels up to Syracuse for an early-afternoon, 1 p.m. tip-off against the Orange (15-12, 6-8 ACC). North Carolina already beat Syracuse in Chapel Hill, 87-77 on February 2, but its roster looks plenty different now.
The Tar Heels will play Saturday without superstar freshman Caleb Wilson, who is out indefinitely with a broken hand. Henri Veesaar likely misses another game, with UNC's 7-foot center now considered day-to-day. With additional injuries in the post, North Carolina is down to just two frontcourt regulars.
The Orange have a golden opportunity to secure a Quad 1 victory here – and they need a momentum-booster of their own. Duke absolutely destroyed Syracuse on Monday night, winning 101-64, which snapped. a 2-game winning streak.
Can the Tar Heels win against the odds? They're still a talented team, but guard play has to step up. Zayden High and Jarin Stevenson will get tired, though with scoring help from their teammates, that fatigue becomes plenty more rewarding.
The Orange are a long way from becoming an NCAA Tournament team, but shocking UNC will go a long way in the selection committee's eyes. It's never about how a team starts its season, but how one finishes it.
North Carolina needs a feel-good moment, so why not another bounce-back win on Saturday afternoon? Keep reading below for our game preview, which includes UNC's key to victory, their full schedule, something to watch, statistical leaders for each team and streaming information.
Improved guard play.
The Tar Heels' backcourt combined to shoot 11-of-43 from the field against NC State, which is nearly 25 percent. That's nowhere near good enough to beat a team of the Wolfpack's caliber.
Whether Seth Trimble scores 10 points, Derek Dixon grabs seven rebounds or Jaydon Young nails a pair of threes off the bench, something has to click in the backcourt against Syracuse.
If Zayden High can keep up his impressive pace as a starter.
High reached double-digit scoring in each of UNC's last two games, his first two as a starter, including a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double at NC State on Tuesday.
With a thin frontcourt, North Carolina needs High's production. The question is: will he be able to continue this pace?
Points
UNC: Caleb Wilson (19.8)
Syracuse: JJ Starling (12.0)
Rebounds
UNC: Caleb Wilson (9.4)
Syracuse: William Kyle III (7.5)
Assists
UNC: Kyan Evans (2.9)
Syracuse: Naithan George (5.4)
WHAT? North Carolina Tar Heels (20-6, 8-5 ACC) at Syracuse Orange (15-12, 6-8 ACC)
WHEN? Saturday, February 21 at 1 p.m.
WHERE? JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
TV?ABC
RADIO? SiriusXM (Channels 194 and 387)
LINE?UNC -3.5
LAST MEETING? UNC 87, Syracuse 77 on February 2, 2026 in Chapel Hill
ALL-TIME SERIES: UNC leads, 19-7
PREDICTION? UNC 74, Syracuse 68
October 4: Blue-White Scrimmage (White 55, Blue 50)
Oct. 24: at BYU (preseason, L 78-76)
Oct. 29: vs. Winston-Salem State (preseason, W 95-53)
November 3: vs. Central Arkansas (W, 94-54)
Nov. 7: vs. Kansas (W, 87-74)
Nov. 11: vs. Radford (W, 89-74)
Nov. 14: vs. NC Central (W, 97-53)
Nov. 18: vs. Navy (W, 73-61)
Nov. 25: vs. St. Bonaventure in Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off (W, 85-70)
Nov. 27: vs. Michigan State in Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off (L, 74-58)
December 2: at Kentucky (W, 67-64)
Dec. 7: vs. Georgetown (W, 81-61)
Dec. 13: vs. USC Upstate (W, 80-62)
Dec. 16: vs. ETSU (W, 77-58)
Dec. 20: vs. Ohio State in CBS Sports Classic (W, 71-70)
Dec. 22: vs. East Carolina (W, 99-51)
Dec. 30: vs. Florida State (W, 79-66)
January 3: at SMU (L, 97-83)
Jan. 10: vs. Wake Forest (W, 87-84)
Jan. 14: at Stanford (L, 95-90)
Jan. 17.: at California (L, 84-78)
Jan. 21: vs. Notre Dame (W, 91-69)
Jan. 24: at Virginia (W, 85-80)
Jan. 31: at Georgia Tech (W, 91-75)
February 2: vs. Syracuse (W, 87-77)
Feb. 7: vs. Duke (W, 71-68)
Feb. 10: at Miami (FL) (L, 75-66)
Feb. 14: vs. Pitt (W, 79-65)
Feb. 17: at NC State (L, 82-58)
Feb. 21: at Syracuse (1 p.m.)
Feb. 23: vs. Louisville (7 p.m.)
Feb. 28: vs. Virginia Tech (TBA)
March 3: vs. Clemson (7 p.m.)
March 7,: at Duke (6:30 p.m.)
March 10-14: ACC Tournament in Spectrum Center (Charlotte, N.C.)
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Previewing Saturday afternoon rematch with Syracuse
Continue reading...
UNC (20-6, 8-5 ACC) travels up to Syracuse for an early-afternoon, 1 p.m. tip-off against the Orange (15-12, 6-8 ACC). North Carolina already beat Syracuse in Chapel Hill, 87-77 on February 2, but its roster looks plenty different now.
The Tar Heels will play Saturday without superstar freshman Caleb Wilson, who is out indefinitely with a broken hand. Henri Veesaar likely misses another game, with UNC's 7-foot center now considered day-to-day. With additional injuries in the post, North Carolina is down to just two frontcourt regulars.
The Orange have a golden opportunity to secure a Quad 1 victory here – and they need a momentum-booster of their own. Duke absolutely destroyed Syracuse on Monday night, winning 101-64, which snapped. a 2-game winning streak.
Can the Tar Heels win against the odds? They're still a talented team, but guard play has to step up. Zayden High and Jarin Stevenson will get tired, though with scoring help from their teammates, that fatigue becomes plenty more rewarding.
The Orange are a long way from becoming an NCAA Tournament team, but shocking UNC will go a long way in the selection committee's eyes. It's never about how a team starts its season, but how one finishes it.
North Carolina needs a feel-good moment, so why not another bounce-back win on Saturday afternoon? Keep reading below for our game preview, which includes UNC's key to victory, their full schedule, something to watch, statistical leaders for each team and streaming information.
Key to Victory
You must be registered for see images attach
Improved guard play.
The Tar Heels' backcourt combined to shoot 11-of-43 from the field against NC State, which is nearly 25 percent. That's nowhere near good enough to beat a team of the Wolfpack's caliber.
Whether Seth Trimble scores 10 points, Derek Dixon grabs seven rebounds or Jaydon Young nails a pair of threes off the bench, something has to click in the backcourt against Syracuse.
Something to Watch
You must be registered for see images attach
If Zayden High can keep up his impressive pace as a starter.
High reached double-digit scoring in each of UNC's last two games, his first two as a starter, including a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double at NC State on Tuesday.
With a thin frontcourt, North Carolina needs High's production. The question is: will he be able to continue this pace?
Statistical leaders
You must be registered for see images
Points
UNC: Caleb Wilson (19.8)
Syracuse: JJ Starling (12.0)
Rebounds
UNC: Caleb Wilson (9.4)
Syracuse: William Kyle III (7.5)
Assists
UNC: Kyan Evans (2.9)
Syracuse: Naithan George (5.4)
What you need to know
You must be registered for see images attach
WHAT? North Carolina Tar Heels (20-6, 8-5 ACC) at Syracuse Orange (15-12, 6-8 ACC)
WHEN? Saturday, February 21 at 1 p.m.
WHERE? JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
TV?ABC
RADIO? SiriusXM (Channels 194 and 387)
LINE?UNC -3.5
LAST MEETING? UNC 87, Syracuse 77 on February 2, 2026 in Chapel Hill
ALL-TIME SERIES: UNC leads, 19-7
PREDICTION? UNC 74, Syracuse 68
UNC basketball 2025-26 schedule
October 4: Blue-White Scrimmage (White 55, Blue 50)
Oct. 24: at BYU (preseason, L 78-76)
Oct. 29: vs. Winston-Salem State (preseason, W 95-53)
November 3: vs. Central Arkansas (W, 94-54)
Nov. 7: vs. Kansas (W, 87-74)
Nov. 11: vs. Radford (W, 89-74)
Nov. 14: vs. NC Central (W, 97-53)
Nov. 18: vs. Navy (W, 73-61)
Nov. 25: vs. St. Bonaventure in Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off (W, 85-70)
Nov. 27: vs. Michigan State in Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off (L, 74-58)
December 2: at Kentucky (W, 67-64)
Dec. 7: vs. Georgetown (W, 81-61)
Dec. 13: vs. USC Upstate (W, 80-62)
Dec. 16: vs. ETSU (W, 77-58)
Dec. 20: vs. Ohio State in CBS Sports Classic (W, 71-70)
Dec. 22: vs. East Carolina (W, 99-51)
Dec. 30: vs. Florida State (W, 79-66)
January 3: at SMU (L, 97-83)
Jan. 10: vs. Wake Forest (W, 87-84)
Jan. 14: at Stanford (L, 95-90)
Jan. 17.: at California (L, 84-78)
Jan. 21: vs. Notre Dame (W, 91-69)
Jan. 24: at Virginia (W, 85-80)
Jan. 31: at Georgia Tech (W, 91-75)
February 2: vs. Syracuse (W, 87-77)
Feb. 7: vs. Duke (W, 71-68)
Feb. 10: at Miami (FL) (L, 75-66)
Feb. 14: vs. Pitt (W, 79-65)
Feb. 17: at NC State (L, 82-58)
Feb. 21: at Syracuse (1 p.m.)
Feb. 23: vs. Louisville (7 p.m.)
Feb. 28: vs. Virginia Tech (TBA)
March 3: vs. Clemson (7 p.m.)
March 7,: at Duke (6:30 p.m.)
March 10-14: ACC Tournament in Spectrum Center (Charlotte, N.C.)
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Previewing Saturday afternoon rematch with Syracuse
Continue reading...
