Syracuse claimed their best win of the season Tuesday night, taking the lead for good with under seven minutes to play and pulling away for an 86-79 win over #7 North Carolina at the JMA Dome. The Orange (16-9, 7-7 ACC) shot 62.5 percent overall in the game, including hitting 8-of-17 (47.1 percent) 3-point shots. The biggest 3-pointer of the night for SU came when J.J. Starling connected on a bomb late in the shot clock with just under seven minutes to play that gave them the lead for good.
The Tar Heels (19-6, 11-3) fought back from multiple ten-point deficits in the first half and a nine-point hole early in the second half, but were outscored after taking the lead with just over seven minutes to play, 22-14.
UNC enjoyed a much smaller rebounding advantage than in the first meeting at 31-23, including grabbing 13 offensive boards, but were gouged repeatedly inside on defense despite their height advantage. SU shot 22-of-31 inside the arc (71 percent) as a major part of their efficient offense, matching Carolina’s 32 points in the paint.
Syracuse got off to a great start, making 8-of-11 shots to start the action, including three 3-pointers. Maliq Brown hit a pair of treys in the opening two minutes and the team’s marksmanship after that created a 13-4 run to give the Orange a 21-11 lead with just over seven minutes off the clock.
North Carolina almost immediately halved that margin, but SU bounced the lead back up to double figures in response, taking their last ten-point lead of the half with just over eight minutes until the break. The Tar Heels immediately responded with an 11-2 burst in under three minutes of play, clipping the gap down to 32-31.
A pair of Judah Mintz foul shots kept Syracuse in front, but UNC’s Harrison Ingram hit two 3’s in under 30 seconds, putting the guests in front. The Orange had the better of play from there until halftime, getting two Starling jump shots in the last two minutes to tie the game at the break at 42 a side.
SU came out of halftime hot, hanging a 10-1 run to grab a quick 52-43 lead. North Carolina, who had missed their first nine shots after the action resumed, jumpstarted their offense with two triples, and eventually walked the Syracuse lead down, tying the game midway through the second session at 85-58.
The Orange got four quick points to go back in front, but the Heels had a 7-2 response to jump on top with a little over seven minutes to go. Adrian Autry called a timeout for SU and the ensuing possession was not perfect, but ended in Starling’s long range 3-pointer that put the hosts back in front.
Mintz then authored a 6-2 run for Syracuse, growing their lead to 73-67 with under four minutes to go. UNC chipped away at the lead, twice getting it down to four, but Quadir Copeland and Brown combined to go 4-of-6 at the line to double the Orange advantage to 80-72 with just under a minute to play. The Tar Heels would again get within four points, but SU pieced together stops and free throws to hold on for the victory.
Mintz led all scorers with 25 points on 8-of-11 shots from the floor, including connecting on all five shots a in the second half s he piled up 16 points after the break. Starling backed him with 23 points, including 13 after halftime. Brown chipped in with 14 points and Bell added 13.
R.J. Davis and Cormac Ryan each hit four 3-pointers for North Carolina, as Davis notched 19 points and Ryan 18. Both Tar Heel big men were very productive, as Ingram finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds and Armando Bacot 14 points with ten boards.
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