Gameday Preview: UNC Travels To Syracuse To Take On Orange – Sat Feb 15th 2025

Syracuse, NY 

BOTTOM LINE: Syracuse takes on North Carolina Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome coming off after a 91-84 loss to the Miami Hurricanes. UNC is coming a 20 point loss to Clemson this past Monday. 

The Orange have gone 9-5 at home. Syracuse ranks third in the ACC with 25.2 defensive rebounds per game led by Donnie Freeman averaging 6.9. 

The Tar Heels are 7-6 in ACC play. North Carolina averages 80.0 points and has outscored opponents by 3.4 points per game. 

Syracuse’s average of 6.4 made 3-pointers per game is 1.9 fewer made shots on average than the 8.3 per game North Carolina allows. North Carolina averages 7.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 fewer made shots on average than the 8.2 per game Syracuse gives up. 

The Orange and Tar Heels match up Saturday for the first time in conference play this season. 

TOP PERFORMERS: Starling averages 1.7 made 3-pointers per game for the Orange, scoring 18.6 points while shooting 29.1% from beyond the arc. Eddie Lampkin Jr. is shooting 56.8% and averaging 11.4 points over the past 10 games. 

RJ Davis is scoring 17.4 points per game with 3.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Tar Heels. Ian Jackson is averaging 11.1 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 39.0% over the past 10 games. 

This is Carolina’s fourth road game in a five-game span. Since winning at NC State on January 11, the Tar Heels have dropped four straight road games and are 3-6 this season on the road. Carolina is 14-11, 7-6 in ACC play, after losing five of its last seven

games. That stretch followed a four-game win streak in league play and began with a 72-71 home loss to Stanford. 

CAROLINA-SYRACUSE 

• The Tar Heels are 17-7 all-time against the Orange, including 13-4 since Syracuse joined the ACC in 2013-14. Carolina is 5-3 against the Orange in the JMA Wireless Dome (previously known as the Carrier Dome). UNC is also 7-1 four NCAA Tournament appearances in Syracuse, giving the Tar Heels an overall record of 12-4 in the Dome. Carolina is 34-18 all-time in domed stadiums (not including the Smith Center). The teams split a pair of games last season, each winning at their respective home arenas. 

WINS AND LOSSES 

In Carolina’s 14 wins the Tar Heels are shooting 9.6% higher from the floor than their opponents (49.5 to 39.9%). In the losses, the opponents are out-shooting the Tar Heels 47.0 to 43.8%. The opponents average 83.8 points in UNC’s losses and just 70.9 in the Tar Heels’ wins. . The opponents have out-rebounded the Tar Heels in seven of the 11 losses. Carolina is shooting 35.7% from three in its wins and 28.0% in the losses.  Carolina is 7-3 when it makes the same number or more three-pointers and is 7-8 when the opponents make more 3FGs. The Tar Heels are 9-4 when they attempt 20 or more free throws and 5-7 when attempting fewer than 20. UNC is 8-2 when it makes more free throws (losses to Kansas and Stanford) and 6-9 when making an equal amount or fewer free throws.