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CHAPEL HILL, NC – Armando Bacot scored a pair of pivot post baskets in the 1:22 final to help North Carolina secure an 81-75 victory over Syracuse at the Smith Center on Tuesday night.
In a scoring game, UNC (8-4, 3-2) struck last with a 10-2 push in the final three minutes to regain the lead. The Tar Heels made 8 out of 9 free throws to close the game and win their third straight ACC contest.
The UNC opened the second half with a 9-0 run, only to be countered by Syracuse’s 13-0 response. The Tar Heels tied the Orange with a 13-0 push and several minutes later the visiting team orchestrated an 8-0 run to take a 68-67 lead with 3:21 remaining.
The UNC shot 39.7 percent from the ground, marking the third consecutive time that it failed to pass the 40 percent threshold. Orange shot 46.7% on 13 fewer attempts. UNC averages 1.17 points per possession compared to Syracuse’s 1.09.
The Tar Heels passed their opponent, 48-31. Their 18-10 rolling differential was the biggest of the season.
Own painting
With starting center Bourama Sidibe still on the sidelines after damaging his meniscus in November, Jim Boeheim relied on 6-foot-10, 201-pound Marek Dolezaj to occupy the middle of his zone again. UNC’s emphasis on hitting the ball low resulted in 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 shots on 12 and 10 rebounds.
Bacot (15 points, 12 rebounds) and Day’Ron Sharpe (8 points, 4 rebounds) were also beneficiaries. The Tar Heels bounced back 53.3% of their failures and beat the Orange, 24-4, on second chance points.
Leaky Black gets locked
Buddy Boeheim lit UNC in the first half, scoring 18 points on 7 of 12 shots (4 of 7 3FG). Leaky Black (5 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists) stepped up his defensive effort after halftime and effectively shut down Boeheim, holding the Syracuse junior scoreless on three field goal attempts in 20 minutes.
Harris about to return
Tuesday’s most intriguing development concerns a player who hasn’t actually played. Sophomore goalkeeper Anthony Harris has dressed for the first time this season, signaling a potential return in the coming days. The Woodbridge, Va. Native hasn’t played since tearing up his ACL against Yale on December 30, 2019.
Note tweet
UNC’s 24 offensive rebounds have been the biggest against an ACC team since withdrawing 24 against Pittsburgh on February 25, 2017. https://t.co/PMXwBuRxFR
– Pat James (@ patjames24) January 13, 2021
Late half-collapse
The Tar Heels were leading 36-26 with 3:51 left in the first period when Williams implemented a four-way substitution, replacing Black-Davis-Sharpe-Brooks with Love-Platek-Bacot-Kessler alongside Kerwin Walton. Syracuse enjoyed a 10-2 run over the next 2:05, scoring on four of their next five possessions.
Orange ended the half on 14-4 with six of their last seven field goal attempts.
next
UNC travel to Tallahassee to face Florida State on Saturday, marking their fourth road game in six ACC games. The Seminoles (5-2, 1-1 ACC) have lost two of their last three after winning four in a row to open the season.
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