Skip to content

Late surge not enough as Syracuse men’s basketball falls at North Carolina (full coverage)

February 2, 2026 9:46 PM /

Late surge not enough as Syracuse men’s basketball falls at North Carolina (full coverage)

Syracuse men’s basketball erased what could have been a lopsided night with a spirited late surge, but the comeback fell short in an 87-77 loss to No. 19 North Carolina on Monday night. The Orange dropped to 13-10 overall and 4-6 in ACC play, while the Tar Heels improved to 18-4 and 6-3.

Also read
ORANGE GAME WEEK: Syracuse football returns home to host Louisville Saturday night (preview) ORANGE GAME WEEK: Syracuse football returns home to host Louisville Saturday night (preview)

Donnie Freeman led Syracuse with 23 points and eight rebounds, scoring 18 of those points in the first half. Naithan George added 15 points, and J.J. Starling finished with 13 as the Orange poured in 32 points over the final 7:30 of the game. Syracuse cut a 28-point deficit to six in the final minute before North Carolina closed it out at the free-throw line.

Finger Lakes Partners (Billboard)

Photo via Syracuse Athletics

North Carolina controlled the first half behind efficient shooting and capitalized on Syracuse turnovers. The Tar Heels built an early double-digit lead and closed the half on a 19-9 run to take a 46-32 advantage into the break. Caleb Wilson led UNC with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Henri Veesaar posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 boards.

Syracuse struggled with ball security early, committing nine first-half turnovers that led to easy transition points. North Carolina shot 53 percent from the field and 55 percent from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes.

Box Score

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

ADRIAN AUTRY’S POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE

FROM SOCIAL MEDIA

Categories: SportsCollegeSyracuse OrangeSyracuse Orange Basketball