CHAPEL HILL, NC – Armando Bacot scored some important baskets in the final 1:22 to give North Carolina an 81-75 victory over Syracuse at Smith Center on Tuesday night.
In a game of runs, UNC (8-4, 3-2) struck in the last three minutes with a speed of 10-2 to regain the lead. The Tar Heels made 8-out-9 throws to close out the game and win their third consecutive ACC game.
UNC opened the second half at 9-0, only to counter Syracuse’s 13-0 reaction. The Tar Heels equalized the Orange with a 13-0 lead of their own and a few minutes later the visiting team organized an 8-0 run to take a 68:67 lead with 3:21 to play.
UNC fired 39.7 percent from the floor, the third consecutive time it has failed to reach the 40 percent threshold. The Orange shot 46.7 percent in 13 fewer attempts. UNC averaged 1.17 points per possession to Syracuse’s 1.09.
The tar heels outscored their opponent 48-31. The difference between 18 and 10 their aid turnover was the biggest of the season.
The paint owns
With starting center Bourama Sidibe still on the sidelines after damaging his meniscus in November, Jim Boeheim relied on 6-foot-10-pound Marek Dolezaj to man the center of his zone again. UNC’s emphasis on beating the ball low yielded Garrison Brooks’ best performance of the season as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year scored his first double-double with 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting and 10 rebounds .
Bacot (15 points, 12 rebounds) and Day’Ron Sharpe (8 points, 4 rebounds) were also beneficiaries. The Tar Heels bounced back with 53.3 percent of their misses and outscored the Orange 24-4 in the second chance points.
Leaking black closes
Buddy Boeheim lit up UNC in the first half and scored 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting (4-out-7 3FG). Leaky Black (5 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists) pushed up his defensive effort after the break and effectively closed Boeheim, keeping the Syracuse junior scoreless on three field goal attempts in 20 minutes.
Harris near return
The most interesting development Tuesday relates to a player who did not actually play. Sophomore guard Anthony Harris has pulled on for the first time this season, indicating a potential return in the coming days. The native of Woodbridge, Virginia, has not played since tearing his ACL against Yale on December 30, 2019.
Tweet from Note
UNC’s 24 offensive rebounds have been the most against an ACC team since deducting 24 points against Pittsburgh on February 25, 2017. Https://t.co/PMXwBuRxFR
– Pat James (@ patjames24) 13 January 2021
Leave half collapse
The Tar Heels led 36:56 with 3:51 remaining in the first half as Williams implemented a four-man substitute and replaced Black-Davis-Sharpe-Brooks with Love-Platek-Bacot-Kessler alongside Kerwin Walton. Syracuse exploited the next 2:05 with a run of 10-2 and passed on four of its next five possessions.
The Orange ended the half at 14-4 by applying six of their last seven field goal attempts.
Following
UNC leaves for Tallahassee on Saturday to play the state of Florida, marking its fourth away game in six ACC games. The Seminoles (5-2, 1-1 ACC) lost two of their last three after winning four straight to open the season.