No. 7 North Carolina Prepares for Tough Battle Against Syracuse in ACC Showdown

Game outlook

No. 7 North Carolina will face off against Syracuse in an ACC game at Dean E. Smith Center on Saturday. The Tar Heels emerged victorious in their only meeting last season, winning 72-68 as a 4.5-point favorite. North Carolina is currently favored to win again in this matchup, with an opening line of -13 that has not changed.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Orange +575 | Tar Heels -900

Spread: Orange +13 (-110) | Tar Heels -13 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 154.5 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that North Carolina will win straight-up is 90%.

Syracuse Orange

Adrian Autry has taken on the challenging task of replacing longtime coach Jim Boeheim at Syracuse University, where he was a former star player. Autry inherited a program that had underperformed, finishing with a 17-15 overall record and a 10-10 record in the ACC. However, the team has shown promising signs, recently winning their game against Boston College after suffering a loss to Duke. Prior to this, they had secured victories against Pitt, Niagara, Oregon, Georgetown, and Cornell. In the game against Boston College, Chris Bell delivered an impressive performance with 20 points, supported by Maliq Brown who contributed 19 points, eight rebounds, four blocks, and four assists. Syracuse's shooting percentage was at 38%, but their defensive effort resulted in 22 turnovers by the opposing team, limiting them to a 39% shooting percentage. According to KenPom, Syracuse is currently ranked 74th overall, 38th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, and 33rd in strength of schedule. The team is led by Judah Mintz, a 6-3 sophomore who is considered an NBA prospect, averaging 18.5 points and 3.9 assists per game with a shooting percentage of 43.2%. J.J. Starling, a 6-4 transfer from Notre Dame, adds 11 points and 2.6 assists per game. Overall, Syracuse averages 76.9 points per game, shooting at 45% from the field and 32.1% from three-point range. Defensively, they allow an average of 70.7 points per game, with opponents shooting at 42.2% from the field and 30.7% from beyond the arc. The team is currently struggling in rebounding, ranking 244th in rebounding margin at -0.6. In terms of power ranking, Syracuse is placed at 101. Offensively, they rank 125th, averaging 76.93 points per game. They shoot at 44.97% from the field and 73.87% from the free-throw line, with their three-point shooting percentage at 31.97%. Syracuse averages 37.47 rebounds per game and records 14.07 offensive assists and 12.40 turnovers per game. Defensively, they allow opponents to shoot at 42.21% from the field and 67.63% from the free-throw line Bell beats the shot clock! 🛎️ pic.twitter.com/MoIphhgWar