Syracuse Comes Out On Top In ACC Battle

Thursday, February 13

Chapel Hill, N.C.

7 PM

North Carolina

16-9,7-7ACC

Syracuse

13-11,7-6ACC

Syracuse

North Carolina

Madinah Muhammad scored 19 points in the loss to Syracuse.

Photo by: Dana Gentry

February 13, 2020 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Behind a season-low scoring output, UNC fell to Syracuse 74-56 in Atlantic Coast Conference women's basketball play Thursday evening at Carmichael Arena. The Tar Heels are now 16-9 overall and 7-7 in ACC play heading into a road game at Boston College on Sunday.

Senior Madinah Muhammad led the Tar Heels with 19 points, including three of the team's four three-pointers on the night. Junior Janelle Bailey scored 12 points, including 4-for-4 free throw shooting, and added seven rebounds. Freshman Malu Tshitenge had her fourth career double-double with 11 points and 11 boards, the latter her best total yet in ACC play.

Syracuse (13-11, 7-6 ACC) was led in scoring by Digna Strautmane and Kiara Lewis with 17 points each. Emily Engstler added 16 on a team-high four three-pointers and also led the team in rebounds with 15.

The loss was the third in a row for UNC, which until this streak had not dropped back-to-back games all year.

Both teams started slow and the game was tied 4-4 at the first timeout, with the Tar Heels and Orange shooting an identical 2-11 (18.2) over the first five minutes. But while Syracuse got rolling, things got worse for UNC, which scored just seven points – a season-low for any quarter – in the second quarter on 13.3 percent (2-15) shooting.

Syracuse led 35-23 at halftime, but the Tar Heels came out of the break on a 7-2 run, with five points from Muhammad. That cut the margin to seven, but Strautmane nailed a three to again boost the SU advantage to double-digits. A Bailey layup, assisted by senior Taylor Koenen, cut the margin to eight, 40-32 with 7:45 to play in the third quarter. But Strautmane hit another three to start a 6-0 run and the game was never in single digits after that. The Orange led by 22, UNC's largest deficit of the season, at two points in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Carolina got within 14 on a three by Muhammad with 4:44 to play, but never got closer.

Syracuse had 10 blocks, a season-high by a UNC opponent, with five different players getting at least one. The Orange outrebounded the Tar Heels 48-41 and shot 44.4 from the field, including 60 percent (9-15) in the third quarter.

It's the second Carmichael visit in a row that the Orange has had a big night for threes. On the team's last visit to Carmichael, in 2018, Syracuse hit an ACC-record 20 three-pointers in an 86-80 win. SU has now won five in a row and seven of the last eight against UNC.