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The North Carolina Tar Heels will face their in-conference rivals, the Syracuse Orange, for the final time in the 2020-21 college basketball regular season.
The first time these two teams faced off, the Tar Heels won a tightly contested affair 81-75. Jim Boeheim and his side will certainly look to even out the season series on Monday.
Match Details
Fixture: North Carolina Tar Heels vs Syracuse Orange - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date and Time: Monday, March 1, 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York
Syracuse Orange Preview
The Syracuse Orange were defeated by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 77-84 on Saturday, and the loss dropped them down to 7-7.
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After the defeat, head coach Jim Boeheim was visibly upset with his team's play. He called out his forwards during the post-game press conference, stating that they just "weren't good". The Orange were outscored 54-24 in the paint.
This loss practically crushed Syracuse's chances of earning a March Madness bid, unless they can somehow find a way to win the ACC tournament. If they are to finish the regular season on a high note, they will need to become more aggressive inside the perimeter.
Key Player - Buddy Boeheim
Buddy Boeheim is the key player for the Syracuse Orange. He is the team's leading scorer and averages 15.5 points per game.
The junior guard's career has been successful mainly because he can knock down the three-point shot at a high percentage. However, Boeheim has evolved his offensive repertoire this season. He is averging over seven attempts from inside the perimeter - two more than last season.
Look for Boeheim to have a strong game against the North Carolina Tar Heels, as he scored 18 points against them in their first meeting this season.
Syracuse Orange Predicted Lineup
F Marek Dolezaj, F Alan Griffin, G Quincy Guerrier, G Buddy Boeheim, G Joseph Girad III
Also Read: NBA G League 2020-21: Top 5 players with the most potential.
North Carolina Tar Heels Preview
The North Carolina Tar Heels are having a strong end to their ACC season. They have won three of their last four games, including a victory over the No. 11 Florida State Seminoles in their last matchup.
The Tar Heels will hope to carry over the scoring they displayed on Saturday. Before their game against the Seminoles, they were shooting a league-low 65% from the free-throw line. However, against Florida State, they hit 27 of 30 from the charity stripe.
This will be an important improvement, as the Tar Heels may find themselves in a closely contested matchup against the Syracuse Orange.
Key Player - Garrison Brooks
Garrison Brooks is one of the most experienced players on the North Carolina Tar Heels. The senior forward's consistency and experience has allowed the Tar Heels to remain relevant while his younger teammates develop.
Here is what Brooks had to say when asked about the young core of the North Carolina Tar Heels this season, via essentiallysports.com:
"It’s been a learning process. We show up in the big moment, we can be good. But you have to think about like playing three freshmen at starting minutes, four freshmen at starting minutes."
Garrison Brooks will likely have a strong performance against the Syracuse Orange. He has shot 67% over his last three games.
North Carolina Tar Heels' Predicted Lineup
F Garrison Brooks, F Armando Bacot, G Leaky Black, G Caleb Love, G Kerwin Walton
North Carolina vs Syracuse Prediction
The North Carolina Tar Heels and the Syracuse Orange went toe-to-toe in their first meeting this season, and another closely contested matchup is expected on Monday.
With the Orange's struggles while defending the paint, the Tar Heels will have the edge. Garrison Brooks can be expected to be the difference-maker by earning easy baskets and controlling the boards.
Where to watch North Carolina vs Syracuse
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Also Read: NCAA March Madness 2021: Complete Schedule, Dates & Time
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