UNC basketball vs. Syracuse: Prediction, scouting report for Tar Heels
After a two-week stretch on the road, UNC basketball returns to the Dean E. Smith Center this weekend to face Syracuse.
The seventh-ranked Tar Heels (12-3, 4-0 ACC) are the lone undefeated team in the ACC standings after three road wins in a row. UNC tips off against the Orange (11-4, 2-2) at noon Saturday on ESPN.
The Tar Heels have won 16 of their 22 games against Syracuse, including 12 of the last 14. UNC is 6-0 against the Orange at the Smith Center.
Here’s a look at some other things to know and a score prediction for the Tar Heels’ latest meeting with ‘Cuse.
UNC basketball due for more points?
Despite averaging 67.3 points in its last three ACC games, UNC remains the second-highest scoring team in the league with an average of 82.5 points. In its three losses to teams in the top 25 on KenPom.com, Syracuse has allowed an average of 78.3 points. In two ACC road losses, the Orange allowed an average of 85 points. This seems like a good opportunity for the Tar Heels to get back on track offensively.
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Rebounding opportunities for Jalen Washington, Tar Heels
The performance of sophomore forward Jalen Washington was lost in the shuffle of the Tar Heels’ win at NC State. Despite fouling out, Washington was plus-7 and grabbed a career-high eight rebounds to help UNC continue to improve its rebounding metrics. After averaging 37.7 rebounds in their first 11 games, the Tar Heels have averaged 47.5 boards in their last four. Syracuse’s average rebounding ranking is 251st, according to KenPom.com. Carolina has to continue to crash the glass.
Syracuse’s Judah Mintz is one of the ACC’s top scorers
Behind UNC’s RJ Davis (20.3 points per game) and Clemson’s PJ Hall (18.9 ppg), Syracuse guard Judah Mintz is the third-leading scorer in the ACC at 18.5 points per game. Mintz is also averaging 3.9 assists and a league-best 2.3 steals. The sophomore had 17 points in a loss to UNC last season, but the Heels have held the leading scorer of the last three teams they’ve faced to an average of 9 points.
UNC vs. Syracuse score prediction
UNC 81, Syracuse 65: The Tar Heels will give up more than 60 points for the first time in 2024, but the offense will come back to life in front of the home fans.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC basketball vs. Syracuse: Prediction, scouting report
