CAROLINA 103, SYRACUSE 67
JANUARY 13, 2024
ROY WILLIAMS COURT AT THE DEAN E. SMITH CENTER
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.

UNC Scoring Leader: RJ Davis 22
UNC Rebound Leader: Armando Bacot 11
UNC Assist Leader: Elliot Cadeau and Harrison Ingram 3
Team Records: UNC 13-3, 5-0 ACC, Syracuse 11-5, 2-3 ACC

• UNC improved to 7-0 at home this season and 34-5 at home under head coach Hubert Davis.
• Carolina has won six in a row (ties the longest streak under Davis, longest since 2021-22).
• The Tar Heels are 5-0 in the ACC for the first time since 2015-16 (won their first eight ACC games that season).
• The 103 points were UNC’s most in an ACC game since a 113-96 win over NC State on 2/5/2019.
• RJ Davis made four three-pointers. It was the 13th straight game Davis made multiple three-pointers, tying the second-longest streak in UNC history. Justin Jackson set the record with 15 straight games in 2017. Marcus Paige had two streaks of 13 games and Shammond Williams and Donald Williams also had streak of 13 games with multiple 3FGs.

• Davis passed Mitch Kupchak, Hubert Davis, Jawad Williams, Justin Jackson and Eric Montross in career scoring to move into 24th place in UNC history. Davis has 1,630 points. Kupchak scored 1,611 from 1973-76, Hubert Davis scored 1,615 from 1988-92, Williams scored 1,626 from 2002-05, Jackson scored 1,626 from 2014-17 and Montross scored 1,627 from 1990-94.
• Davis tied his career high with five steals (also vs. Charleston Southern).
• Davis scored 22 points, his 10th 20-point game of the season and 22nd of his career. UNC is 7-3 this season and 17-5 overall when Davis scores 20 or more.
• Davis led UNC in scoring for the 12th time this season and 31st time in his career. UNC is 9-3 this season and 20-11 in his career when he leads UNC in scoring. It was the seventh time this season he led all scorers on both teams.

• Bacot had 16 points and 11 rebounds, his eighth double-double of the season and 76th of his career. He is first in UNC history and third in ACC history with 76 double-doubles. It was Bacot’s fourth double-double in his last five games against the Orange.
• Bacot passed the 1,500-rebound mark. He is Carolina’s all-time leader with 1,507.
• Bacot played in his 148th game, tying Brice Johnson for fifth in games played by a Tar Heel.
• Harrison Ingram also had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. It was his third of the season and eighth of his career.
• Ingram grabbed double-figure rebounds for the third time in four games. He had 15 at Pitt, a career-high 19 at NC State and 10 vs. Syracuse.

• Jalen Washington scored in double figures (11) for the third time this season and fourth overall.
• It was the first time this season two Tar Heels (Bacot and Ingram) had double-doubles.
• Carolina held the Orange to 29.0% from the floor in the first half. It was the third straight half the opponents shot under 30% for a half (NC State shot 28.1 and 26.5 by half in Raleigh). It was the fourth time in six halves the opponents shot below 30% (also Pittsburgh in the second half).
• Carolina led 52-30 at halftime. The 22-point margin was UNC’s largest halftime lead in an ACC game since leading Florida State by 38 on 2/12/2022.
• The 22-point lead equaled the second largest of the season (23 vs. UC Riverside and 22 vs. Tennessee).

• Carolina had a 10-0 run early in the second half. It was the 10th time in 16 games UNC had at least one 10-0 run a game.
• Carolina scored a season-high 22 second-chance points. The previous high was 16 vs. UC Riverside. UNC is 10-0 this season when scoring more second-chance points.
• Carolina out-rebounded the Orange, 53-30. The margin (+23) was the largest of the season (previous +21 vs. Lehigh and CSU).
• Carolina’s 53 rebounds were a season high (52 vs. Lehigh).
• Carolina’s 58 paint points were a season high (previous was 52 vs. Charleston Southern).

• Five Tar Heels scored in double figures, the third time this season five or more Tar Heels scored in double figures.
• UNC has held six straight opponents under 70 points.
• Syracuse shot 36.5%, the fifth consecutive opponent to shoot below 40%. The last time Carolina held five consecutive opponents under 40% shooting was the first five games in 2019-20.
• Cormac Ryan was a game-high plus 35, the most by a Tar Heel in an ACC game this season.
• Carolina made a season-high 13 steals, most since making 13 in a 38-point win at Wake Forest 2/16/2019.
• Carolina’s bench outscored the Syracuse bench, 39-19, UNC’s largest margin in an ACC game this season.

Carolina-Syracuse
• Carolina is 17-6 all-time against the Orange, including 7-0 in Chapel Hill (all in the Smith Center).
• The Tar Heels have won three in a row and 13 of 16 since Syracuse joined the ACC prior to the 2014-15 season.
• The 103 points were the most UNC has scored against Syracuse (previous was 96 in an overtime win 11/21/87.
• The 36-point margin Carolina’s largest win over the Orange. The previous was 23 twice (87-64 win in Charlotte on 1/8/83 and an 87-64 win in Syracuse on 12/10/83).
• It was the first time UNC played Syracuse without Jim Boeheim as the Orange’s head coach since 3/20/1975, an NCAA Tournament game in Providence, R.I. That was the second of 23 times the Tar Heels have played the Orange.

Next Game: Wednesday, January 17, vs. Louisville in Chapel Hill, 9 p.m., ACC Network

Great all around game today including another solid effort from most all of our other top 8 but I really need to point out and give kudos to both Withers and Washington.

Withers continues to work hard and it seems the game has slowed down for him, he doesn’t panic, and he is totally aligned with what Hubs and this team does and doesn’t need him to do. Where he should and shouldn’t try to score. And is adding a lot on defense and rebounding.

And Washington just seems to have made a big leap in last few weeks on having faster feet and knowing where to be on defense. And along with a continued sweet 8-15 ft jumper, seems to be a lot stronger and more aggressive in finishing at the rim thru contact and outfighting guys for 50-50 rebounds.

I love what both these guys are giving off the bench. Along with Trimble of course who could start and we’d be fine. The guards in front of him are just that good which is a great situation.

We are so far from Iron 5 last couple years where UNC had almost no margin for error, foul trouble, injuries etc.

ODDS
-13.5 UNC
Over/Under 155.5


As mentioned a few weeks ago, I'm making changes to the contests to award prizes more frequently. Thus, only 2 more games for Contest #1.

Contest #1 concludes after the Louisville game on 1/17 and another set of premium subscriptions will be awarded after this game.


Points as follows:

36 pts--Max points, Quadruple points game
12pts--Partial points, Quadruple points game

Contest #1 Prizes
1st Place - 1-Year Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
2nd Place - 6-Month Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
3rd Place - 3-Month Subscription to Premium
4th Place-- 3-Month Subscription to Premium

Good luck!



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Syracuse Orange​

11-4, 2-2 CONF


ESPN
1/13
12:00 PM

7

North Carolina Tar Heels​

7NORTH CAROLINATAR HEELS​

12-3​

1st in ACC​

Every effort will be made to make sure that the ODDS are posted approximately 24 hours before the game based from the Vegas links. Vegas does not normally issue the odds until approximately 24-28 hours before the game. The odds posted in the thread will normally be slightly different from the odds listed in the Vegas links. Your selection must be posted before the game starts. If you want to change your pick, please issue a revision to your original pick.


NCAA College Basketball Odds, Betting Lines & Point Spreads

NORTH-CAROLINA Odds: Schedule, Matchups, & Stats - VegasInsider

Get the latest North Carolina Odds, see their recent and upcoming schedule, matchups, injuries, stats, and team news.

www.vegasinsider.com

Contest 5: Early Season Non-Conference Contest (only games that UNC participating )
Winners: Top 6 players win 3-month subscription to Premium

• Battle for Atlantis (Possible opponents - Arkansas, Memphis, Michigan, Texas Tech, Villanova)
• Tennessee (ACC/SEC Challenge)
• UConn (Jimmy V Classic)
• Kentucky (CBS Sports Classic)
• Oklahoma (Jumpman Invitational)

Contest Rules:
Contest #1: Total points for entire season
Contest #2: Reset: Total points after game #15
Contest #3: Final Four Pool Bracket (Top 64 players)
Contest #4 Grand Prize: Total points ACC and NCAA tournaments games through title game (contest continues even if UNC eliminated)
Contest #5 Early Season Non-Conference Contest ( See games above)

Bullet Points!
For the first 20 games, three (3) Bullet points will automatically be added for any player that forgets to post a prediction for a game. Thus, as long as a player posts a prediction for at least one game, he will receive 3 points for all games that he fails to make a prediction. This is applicable even if he does not make his first prediction until the 20th game of the season. In this case, he will still get 60 points for the first 20 games that he failed to make a prediction for. Bullet Points will be automatically added. You do not have to request them.

Points Awarded Per Game
27 pts--Max points, Triple points game
18 pts--Double points game
9 pts--Partial points, Triple points game
6 pts--Partial points, Double points game
3 pts--automatic points for any game missed (you failed to make a prediction) in first 20 games
Special Note: The single point games have been eliminated

Grand Prize (Contest #4)
Post Season Contest
Top 15 players in Contest #1 and # 2
ACC and NCAA Tournaments games through title game (contest continues even if UNC eliminated)
Prizes: Large Flat Screen TV, Laptop or Tablet (winner option)

Contest #1 Prizes
1st Place - 1-Year Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
2nd Place - 6-Month Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
3rd Place - 3-Month Subscription to Premium
4th Place-- 3-Month Subscription to Premium

Contest #2 Prizes
1st Place - 1-Year Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
2nd Place - 6-Month Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
3rd Place - 3-Month Subscription to Premium
4th Place-- 3- month Subscription to Premium

Contest #3 Prizes
1st Place - 3-Month Subscription to Premium

Double Winners—subscriptions can be stacked not to exceed 1 year premium subscription.

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Contest #1 (2 more games )

Contest #1 Prizes
1st Place - 1-Year Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
2nd Place - 6-Month Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
3rd Place - 3-Month Subscription to Premium
4th Place-- 3-Month Subscription to Premium

Tasty Exchange


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Contest #1 (2 more games )

Contest #1 Prizes
1st Place - 1-Year Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
2nd Place - 6-Month Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
3rd Place - 3-Month Subscription to Premium
4th Place-- 3-Month Subscription to Premium

I do not think Bama would go with someone so young, and 0 HC experience, but if all the others shy way, then it could be Rees. ND credentials matter. Even 1 years as a coordinator under Saban matters. And Rees saved this past Bama season.

What that means is that if Rees is off the market to Bama, UNC has missed another possible super golden opportunity by keeping the over the hill snake oil salesman. UNC needed to make the play already, and hired either Rees or Leonhard to replace Mack. That all should have been done before NYD. But there fools in charge will do nothing but manage football mediocrity so it does not get too be like Mack's back to 1-10 seasons.

The ripple effect through college football staffs will be interesting to watch. As far as his replacement goes, I guess it’s Chizek’s to lose <ducks>

“I try to do my best on the little things,”

Heels travel for the next 3: Pitt, Clemson, State….What would you guys like to see?

For me:

1. Blowout Pitt from the get-go…. No f-n around until the game is pretty much in hand…. Then Hubert should give extended runs to the bench.
2. The return of dominant Mando… big man needs to eat.
3. Backcourt in synch - EC and RJ have given glimpses of how well they can work together.
4. More multiple defences - loved the press and traps the other night.
5. A win at clumpson would be nice… might be difficult.
6. Stomp the wuffies of course.

3-0 isn’t too much to ask for is it?

It was originally scheduled for 1PM, but was moved to noon last month. Tickets also say it starts at 1, but it's at noon and will air on ESPN. Make sure your UNC friends know.

We have all patiently waited for a game like this where Cadeau did not commit some early silly fouls and spearheaded a Carolina offensive attack in the second half and the result was a fairly easy Tar Heel Victory…

I remember watching him last year going to the hole with different speeds while in high school scoring at will and making great passes to teammates for easy layups and dunks and I for one was waiting for him to burst out and tonight he did.

This is the first time all season he looked to score as he drove hard to the hole time after time and even if he had a least 3 shots blocked he did not stop driving. His Magic Johnson bounce pass to Bacot mid way thru the second half should be on ESPN’s top plays of the day.

If the rest of the country saw how he controlled the second half they should be worried and I mean really worried because the light bulb has come on and the fun is just ready to start…

Maybe nobody noticed his extended minutes played last night and his defense on Burns when both Washington and Bacot were on the bench in serious foul trouble in the second half but I sure did.

I can only remember Burns scoring on him once on a nice baseline shake and bake move but other than that Withers was solid and he twice got fouled rebounding off the offensive board.

I mentioned in the game thread that the possibility of him playing some center was actually that a possibility.

Nobody that I can remember this year has given him any praise for his work off the bench but you have to be totally blind not to see what he can contribute to the team when given extended minutes like he did last night.

That just goes to show you don’t have to score a bunch of points or a bushel full of rebounds to help the team. Maybe it was just one game but it may be the first of many for Withers…