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University of North Carolina Athletics
Drake Powell
Photo by: Maggie Hobson
Lucas: Syracuse Rapid Reactions
February 15, 2025 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
Quick takeaways from the visit to Syracuse.
By Adam Lucas
1. Carolina got a much needed road victory, toppling Syracuse, 88-82.
2. After getting poked in the eye in practice, Jae'Lyn Withers tried out goggles during shootaround but eventually decided to play without them. Whatever he did, it needs to be replicated for the remainder of the season. Withers had a season-high 19 points and several huge baskets during the decisive portion of the second half. The Charlotte native also hit three three-point shots before fouling out with 1:45 remaining.
3. Welcome back to New York, Ian Jackson. The Carolina freshman was terrific in Carolina's win at Madison Square Garden in December, and he did it again Saturday night. Jackson scored 16 first half points--more than his scoring output (11) in the last three games combined--on his way to 23 for the game. Jackson was 8-for-13Â and 3-for-7Â from the three-point line in that earlier win over UCLA at MSG; tonight he hit 8 of his 15Â shots and 5Â for 10Â for a team-high 23 points.
4. RJ Davis quietly had a solid game running the point for long stretches of the night. With Elliot Cadeau limited by foul trouble--which has been a storyline this year, and Cadeau's 18 minutes played were his fewest this season--Davis racked up six assists against just one turnover. Davis also had 16 points and secured five rebounds. Cadeau did get back on the floor in time to convert a crucial drive and layup with a minute remaining in a must-score situation.
5. Before the game, Hubert Davis mentioned that rebounding would be the primary decisive factor in the game. The Tar Heels hung in with the Orange in that category, with Syracuse holding just a slim advantage, 40-36. The 'Cuse also had a five-point edge in second chance points, 18-13.
6. Carolina continues to search for the right combination of starters. For the second straight game, the Heels went with Cadeau, Davis, Seth Trimble (a team-high eight rebounds as he continues to pace the Tar Heels in that category), Ven-Allen Lubin and Withers.
7. The Tar Heels shot the ball extremely well from the perimeter. Carolina went 13-for-28 from three, with five different players sinking at least one. Those 13 conversions tied a season high set a long time ago in the season opener against Elon.
8. As you probably expected, Carolina had some trouble guarding Eddie Lampkin in the post. The burly Orange center is a load inside; he bulldozed his way to a career-high 26Â points. But Syracuse couldn't really find anyone to match his offensive output (J. J. Starling made six of his 16 shots and was 0-for-2 from three but did major damage at the free throw line on his way to 22Â points).
9. Carolina blocked a solid seven shots, and one of them keyed one of the biggest sequences of the game. Drake Powell blocked an Orange shot with 2:30 left, which created a transition layup for Jackson that gave the Heels an eight-point lead. The quality performance by Withers allowed Hubert Davis to give Powell more minutes at the small forward spot. He is a defensive difference-maker in that role.
10. Free throws have been a problem recently. The Heels were 15-for-23Â at the charity stripe, including a crucial miss of a front end with just over a minute left. The Heels had gone 13-for-26 from the line in the prior two games, making them 28-for-49Â over the last three. Syracuse did not have the same issues; they were 20-for-22.
11. But in a reversal of a recent storyline, Carolina took good care of the ball over the decisive part of the game. The Heels had just three turnovers in the final 11:30. They had nine for the game.
12. College basketball games are too long. This one took almost two and a half hours; the Auburn-Alabama game that preceded it took nearly three hours. The season-opening UNC baseball win over Texas Tech took two hours and 40 minutes.
13. Carolina is now 6-3 against Syracuse in the JMA Wireless/Carrier Dome. The Tar Heels are 14-4 against Syracuse since they joined the ACC.
14. Saturday night's game ends a stretch of four road games in five contests. The Tar Heels will make a welcome return to the Smith Center for home games against NC State on Wednesday and Virginia on Saturday.
1. Carolina got a much needed road victory, toppling Syracuse, 88-82.
2. After getting poked in the eye in practice, Jae'Lyn Withers tried out goggles during shootaround but eventually decided to play without them. Whatever he did, it needs to be replicated for the remainder of the season. Withers had a season-high 19 points and several huge baskets during the decisive portion of the second half. The Charlotte native also hit three three-point shots before fouling out with 1:45 remaining.
3. Welcome back to New York, Ian Jackson. The Carolina freshman was terrific in Carolina's win at Madison Square Garden in December, and he did it again Saturday night. Jackson scored 16 first half points--more than his scoring output (11) in the last three games combined--on his way to 23 for the game. Jackson was 8-for-13Â and 3-for-7Â from the three-point line in that earlier win over UCLA at MSG; tonight he hit 8 of his 15Â shots and 5Â for 10Â for a team-high 23 points.
4. RJ Davis quietly had a solid game running the point for long stretches of the night. With Elliot Cadeau limited by foul trouble--which has been a storyline this year, and Cadeau's 18 minutes played were his fewest this season--Davis racked up six assists against just one turnover. Davis also had 16 points and secured five rebounds. Cadeau did get back on the floor in time to convert a crucial drive and layup with a minute remaining in a must-score situation.
5. Before the game, Hubert Davis mentioned that rebounding would be the primary decisive factor in the game. The Tar Heels hung in with the Orange in that category, with Syracuse holding just a slim advantage, 40-36. The 'Cuse also had a five-point edge in second chance points, 18-13.
6. Carolina continues to search for the right combination of starters. For the second straight game, the Heels went with Cadeau, Davis, Seth Trimble (a team-high eight rebounds as he continues to pace the Tar Heels in that category), Ven-Allen Lubin and Withers.
7. The Tar Heels shot the ball extremely well from the perimeter. Carolina went 13-for-28 from three, with five different players sinking at least one. Those 13 conversions tied a season high set a long time ago in the season opener against Elon.
8. As you probably expected, Carolina had some trouble guarding Eddie Lampkin in the post. The burly Orange center is a load inside; he bulldozed his way to a career-high 26Â points. But Syracuse couldn't really find anyone to match his offensive output (J. J. Starling made six of his 16 shots and was 0-for-2 from three but did major damage at the free throw line on his way to 22Â points).
9. Carolina blocked a solid seven shots, and one of them keyed one of the biggest sequences of the game. Drake Powell blocked an Orange shot with 2:30 left, which created a transition layup for Jackson that gave the Heels an eight-point lead. The quality performance by Withers allowed Hubert Davis to give Powell more minutes at the small forward spot. He is a defensive difference-maker in that role.
10. Free throws have been a problem recently. The Heels were 15-for-23Â at the charity stripe, including a crucial miss of a front end with just over a minute left. The Heels had gone 13-for-26 from the line in the prior two games, making them 28-for-49Â over the last three. Syracuse did not have the same issues; they were 20-for-22.
11. But in a reversal of a recent storyline, Carolina took good care of the ball over the decisive part of the game. The Heels had just three turnovers in the final 11:30. They had nine for the game.
12. College basketball games are too long. This one took almost two and a half hours; the Auburn-Alabama game that preceded it took nearly three hours. The season-opening UNC baseball win over Texas Tech took two hours and 40 minutes.
13. Carolina is now 6-3 against Syracuse in the JMA Wireless/Carrier Dome. The Tar Heels are 14-4 against Syracuse since they joined the ACC.
14. Saturday night's game ends a stretch of four road games in five contests. The Tar Heels will make a welcome return to the Smith Center for home games against NC State on Wednesday and Virginia on Saturday.
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