The unexpected happened on Tuesday night as the unranked Syracuse Orange stunned the seventh-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels, winning with a score of 86-79.
This was Syracuse's eighth upset in the season, and it came after losing to UNC by a significant margin just a month ago.
The Orange's impressive performance on offense outshone North Carolina's usually formidable defense, as they shot an impressive 62.5% from the field, including 8-of-17 (47.1%) from beyond the arc.
Syracuse's balanced attack saw four starters reach double figures in scoring, with Judah Mintz leading all scorers with 25 points and five rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
JJ Starling contributed 23 points, three rebounds, and was an efficient 9-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-6 from deep.
Hubert Davis, head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team, said that their boys continued to fight to stay in the game but that Syracuse also deserves to be complimented for stepping up.
We didn't play well enough to win, we've just got to get better. They shot 63% from field. Very few teams in the country you can beat especially on the road when they shoot that well
Hubert Davis
North Carolina tried to fight back, with RJ Davis scoring 19 points and Cormac Ryan adding 18 points and three assists.
Despite their best efforts, the Syracuse team, burning with intensity, outperformed them; and they are now at 2 wins, 3 losses in their last five games.
The impressive play of Armando Bacot and Harrison Ingram for the Tar Heels with double-doubles was surpassed by Syracuse's powerful display.
The two players, Bacot and Ingram, both scored 14 points in the matchup; Bacot collected an additional 10 rebounds, while Ingram secured 11 boards.
North Carolina shot well overall, with a field goal percentage of 47.5% and a solid 3-point percentage of 44.4% (12-of-17).
However, they were outrebounded by Syracuse 30-23 and suffered from costly turnovers, giving up the ball 11 times.
A Balance of Offense and Defense
The Orange's defense wasn't always great but it was instrumental in their win, forcing those turnovers and holding North Carolina to just 44 points in the second half. Quadir Copeland was leading the charge on defense esp. towards the end.
Syracuse fans celebrated their team's stunning victory by storming the court at the JMA Dome.
This win is coach Adrian Autry's first signature win for his alma mater. The team shot a season-high of 62.5%, their best against any opponent since 2011, and their best since at least 1980 against an AP top-10 team.
The Orange's last win against a top-10 team was in 2019, against then-No. 1 Duke.
With this upset, the Orange moved up in the rankings, potentially challenging for a spot in the top 25, while North Carolina's loss could impact their seeding in the NCAA tournament.
The next test for Syracuse comes on Saturday against Clemson but, for now, they are enjoying their moment of triumph over one of the ACC's top teams.
This game was the best game I've seen that we've played all year
Orange coach Adrian Autry
The Orange's win marks a significant shift in the college basketball landscape, as it showcases Syracuse's potential to make a deep run in March Madness.
North Carolina, now with three losses in their last five games, will need to regroup and focus on winning the remaining games to maintain their top-tier seeding in the tournament.
The ACC continues to be a closely contested conference, with several teams vying for valuable tournament positions.
Syracuse's upset win adds another exciting chapter to this story.
Tuesday's game was a reminder that anything can happen in college basketball, and the unpredictability of the sport is what makes it so thrilling to watch.
