No. 14 North Carolina builds 32-point lead to squeeze Syracuse

Field Level Media|published: Mon 2nd February, 21:42 2026

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) passes the ball as Syracuse Orange forward Donnie Freeman (1) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Caleb Wilson delivered 22 points and nine rebounds to help No. 14 North Carolina to an 87-77 Atlantic Coast Conference victory over Syracuse, Monday in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Henri Veesaar contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds as the Tar Heels (18-4, 6-3) captured their fourth straight and improved to 13-0 at home.

Jonathan Powell and Luka Bogavac added 12 and 10 points, respectively, off the bench for North Carolina, which improved to 8-0 at home against Syracuse.

Donnie Freeman returned to the starting lineup and scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half for Syracuse (13-10, 4-6). In a win Saturday over Notre Dame, Freeman came off the bench for the first time this season and scored a season-low seven points.

Naithan George contributed 15 points, J.J. Starling scored 13 and Kiyan Anthony added 10 for the Orange, who lost for the fifth time in their last six.

North Carolina set the tone in the first half with three scoring bursts. Wilson started the first spree, scoring the Tar Heels' first three baskets in a nine-point run that put North Carolina up 9-2.

Midway through the half, Veesaar scored six of the points in a 13-2 spurt that Powell finished with a 3-pointer and a driving slam as the Tar Heels surged to a 25-12 advantage.

Late in the half, Seth Trimble (nine points) and Powell drained 3-pointers and Derek Dixon (eight points) added a 3-point play to give North Carolina its biggest lead of the half at 46-29.

Freeman banked in a 3-pointer as time expired to give the Orange a small dose of momentum as they headed to the locker room down 46-32.

The Tar Heels quickly re-established their dominance in the second half. In a 1:48 span, Bogavac made a 3-pointer and jumper and drove for a 3-point play to expand North Carolina's lead to 66-40 with 13:39 left.

Powell gave the Tar Heels their biggest lead of the game, 72-40, with 9:56 to play when he hit a 3-pointer.

Syracuse didn't surrender easily as it hit 13 of 14 shots from the floor while limiting North Carolina to one field goal in the final 8:57. The Orange's 35-10 run got them as close as 83-77 on Starling's jumper with 42 seconds left.

Jarin Stevenson and Trimble made two free throws each to sew it up.

--Field Level Media

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