Syracuse (17-14, 10-10 Atlantic Coast) finished the season as the ACC’s sixth seed. That seeding earned it the opportunity to play 14th seeded UNC, a team that it recently lost to by 13 points on Feb. 29.

Here is what our writers predict will happen when the Tar Heels and Orange matchup Wednesday in Greensboro, North Carolina:

Nick Alvarez (21-10)

Heel turn (redux)
North Carolina 84, Syracuse 71

We’ve talked about this on the podcast. We’ve written about it on this site for the last week. We’ve even tweeted about it. This is the worst-case scenario for Syracuse and tonight is its penance. Cole Anthony is a star and Elijah Hughes was “blurry” a few days ago. SU’s 3-point defense has also been abysmal. The Orange always play better on the road (and this is essentially a home game for UNC) but the gauntlet is too daunting. Look for Syracuse’s 3-point shooting to decide how close the final ends up being. NIT bubble watch anyone?

Josh Schafer (21-10)
The better Anthony
North Carolina 86, Syracuse 73

Sorry, Syracuse fans, the Anthony that looks poised for a tournament run is in the wrong jersey this time. Cole Anthony and North Carolina have now won four of five and are primed to make a run in this tournament. The Tar Heels have a multitude of scorers, most recently Brandon Robinson, and rebound better than Syracuse. We saw recently, in the Carrier Dome, what UNC could do from 3-point land. I’d expect more of the same on Wednesday night. Though Anthony may not shot 7-of-11 from deep, he’ll be the most NBA-ready player on the court and that usually matters in March.

Michael McCleary (20-11)
Orange you glad you got nothing to lose?
Syracuse 78, North Carolina 75

Man. That last game against North Carolina was not a good one for Syracuse. There is little logical reason that a slumping Syracuse team can realistically enter a Greensboro Coliseum of fans there to witness a North Carolina run and beat one of the hottest teams in the ACC. But maybe there’s a hint of frustration that boils over into something good. This team lost multiple games it should have won, with two of those losses coming when they lost their only star in Hughes early in the game. The Orange are the higher-ranked team, yet in this matchup somehow they’re the team that has less to lose. That’s how upsets happen.

Published on March 11, 2020 at 12:21 pm