ORANGE GAME DAY: Syracuse men's basketball visits North Carolina (preview)

Syracuse men’s basketball (13-9, 4-5 ACC) heads back on the road today at 7 p.m. for an ACC matchup against the North Carolina Tar Heels (17-4, 5-3 ACC) at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill.

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The Orange enter this contest coming off an 86-72 home win over Notre Dame, snapping a four-game skid and returning to the win column. Syracuse shot efficiently in the victory and leaned on strong guard play, with seniors J.J. Starling and Nate Kingz pacing the offense. Kingz delivered a game-high scoring effort with 28 points, while Starling set the tone early and finished as one of the Orange’s top contributors. Senior William Kyle III provided a steady interior presence on both ends of the floor.

Syracuse has been effective from beyond the arc during ACC play, ranking among the conference’s top teams in three-point shooting, while also remaining one of the nation’s better shot-blocking units. Kyle III anchors the defense, which has limited opponents to around 70 points per game.

North Carolina enters the matchup riding a three-game win streak after victories over Notre Dame, Virginia, and Georgia Tech. The Tar Heels have been rolling offensively during that stretch and are led by freshman Caleb Wilson, who has been a consistent scoring and rebounding presence. Henri Veesaar adds balance in the frontcourt as North Carolina continues a strong start to conference play.

Syracuse and North Carolina have met 25 times, with the Tar Heels holding an 18-7 advantage in the all-time series. North Carolina won last season’s meeting 88-82 at the JMA Wireless Dome.