The Syracuse Orange (13-9, 4-5) are on the road tonight to face the #19 North Carolina Tar Heels (17-5, 5-3). The game tips at 7:00 on ESPN and here’s what we’re watching for in this one:
Kevin: Patience on offense
UNC is averaging 84 points per game in ACC play, and giving up 82. We know Syracuse wants to play fast, but they have to display the ball movement they showed against Notre Dame. Don’t bail out UNC with quick shots- but force them to defend and hope it also impacts their decision-making on offense.
Dom: All eyes on the frontcourt
Caleb Wilson (20 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.6 SPG and 1.4 BPG) is one of the best freshmen and players in the entire country. As an added bonus, he’s also playing alongside Henri Veesaar (16.9 PPG and 9.0 RPG). Wilson and Veesaar are North Carolina’s top-two scorers, rebounders and shot blockers. Then there’s Syracuse, which just got a win after starting Sadiq White over Donnie Freeman. Regardless of who plays when and by how much, the Orange’s frontcourt will face arguably their toughest test all year.
Szuba: Does Donnie Freeman start or come off the bench?
On Saturday against Notre Dame, Donnie Freeman came off the bench for just the third time in his Syracuse career. Does Adrian Autry stick with that strategy to keep JJ Starling going, or was that a one-off move? Either way, Freeman is going to need more than 22 minutes and four shots if Syracuse has any hope of staying close with North Carolina. The Heels don’t rely on threes, so this game is going to be played on the interior as Dom mentions. Freeman (as well as Kyle and Kingz) will be needed on the glass.
Max: An Orange three-point barrage?
There aren’t many deficiencies with UNC, but if there’s one thing, it’s defending the three-point line. The Tar Heels are currently last in three-point defense in ACC play, allowing opponents to shoot 42.1% from deep per KenPom. Once a major weakness, Syracuse’s performance from beyond the arc is coming into form, and it currently ranks fourth in conference play at 37.8%. It’ll be a tall order from the jump, but don’t count out the Orange if they heat up from distance.
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What are you watching for tonight?