The Syracuse Orange will travel to Chapel Hill to face the North Carolina Tar Heels on Monday night. Here’s what to watch for.
- Teams: Syracuse Orange (15-14, 9-9 ACC) v. North Carolina Tar Heels (21-8, 13-5)
- Date: Monday, Feb. 28
- Game Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.
- Network: ESPN
Saugat Sen
Fearless Prediction: UNC 76, Syracuse 68
The Juice Online Season Record: 14-4 (ACC)
The Tar Heels come in into Monday evening’s matchup with the Orange with plenty of momentum, having only lost two games at home this season, and have won four of their last five. The Orange is only 48 hours removed from being routed by Duke, where it never felt like they belonged on the same floor as the high-powered Blue Devils.
North Carolina is led by junior forward Armando Bascot who is averaging a double-double for the season at 16.3 ppg and 12.5 rpg. The Orange struggled against Duke’s big men, and it will get no respite against the Tar Heels, as Bascot is one of the ACC’s top big men. For the Orange to stay close in this one, it will need top performances from both Buddy Boeheim and Joe Girard because Bourama Sidibe and Frank Anselem will struggle to keep up with Bascot.
» Related: Syracuse helpless in loss to Duke
However, SU’s starting backcourt has struggled down the stretch in February. Boeheim has failed to shoot better than 30 percent from the outside for three straight games. Girard had a torrid first half of the month, but in his last 3 games, Girard is shooting 22 percent from 3.
Syracuse does not have a single win against the top four teams in the ACC, and the Tar Heels are sitting at third in the conference. Expect that stretch to continue on Monday night.
Bascot will exceed his season averages, battering the Orange inside as the Tar Heels drop SU back to .500 on the season.
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