Opponent Preview: What to know about No. 14 North Carolina

Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Syracuse bounced back to its winning ways after a 79-72 victory over Boston College at the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday.

Against the Eagles, Dyaisha Fair led all scorers with 24 points while Georgia Woolley contributed 20. And for the first time since putting up double figures in SU’s away loss to Georgia Tech in mid-January, Dariauna Lewis finished with 15 points and was just one rebound shy of a double-double.

The Orange led comfortably for most of the game and went into halftime with a 15-point lead. However, Syracuse was forced to confront a late second-half run, sparked by Maria Gakdeng and Taina Mair toward the end of the third quarter.

Although the SU lead was trimmed to single digits with just under seven minutes remaining in the game, Syracuse rallied behind Fair’s 14 fourth-quarter points to win handily. Fair also recorded her 2,500th career point in the affair, accomplishing the feat at the charity stripe in the second half.

The Orange welcome No. 14 North Carolina into the JMA Wireless Dome on Thursday with another opportunity to obtain their first win against a ranked opponent this season. The Tar Heels have won eight of their last nine games, having beaten some of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s best, like Notre Dame and Duke, along that way. However, UNC’s lone loss during its winning stretch came just a few days ago against Louisville.

Here is everything you need to know about No. 14 North Carolina (17-6, 8-4 ACC):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 8-5.

Last time they played

Playing at home in Chapel Hill on Dec. 30, 2021, then No. 24-ranked UNC managed to maintain its perfect start to the season, defeating Syracuse 79-43. The loss was just SU’s second in conference play and its fifth overall.

Led by Teisha Hyman’s 11 points and Alaina Rice’s 10, as the only two Syracuse players to score in double digits, the Orange trailed by nine after the opening quarter, and things just got worse from there. Attempting a comeback in the following period, SU trailed by 11 at halftime and came out of the gate sluggishly for the final 20 minutes as UNC won the third quarter by a margin of 15.

Five North Carolina players recorded double-digit points, led by Deja Kelly’s 12. UNC’s Alyssa Ustby produced a double-double, equaling Kelly’s point total and notching 14 rebounds. Syracuse went on to lose its next five games before grabbing its second ACC win of the season against Pittsburgh a month later.

The Tar Heel report

North Carolina has the perfect balance of guard and forward play. In the backcourt, Kelly commands the offense. As the floor general, she often looks to pass first, hitting her teammates around the perimeter for open threes. And if she opts to slash towards the basket, not many in the ACC can stop her off the screen or in the open floor.

Ustby and Kennedy Todd-Williams also serve as all-around players, capable of getting hot at any given moment. Todd-Williams prefers to drive to the cup, while Ustby looks more comfortable shooting from deep. But both can interchange roles while also filling it up from midrange.

Anya Poole provides UNC with height inside, standing at 6-foot-2. With good footwork around the rim, Poole can finish with either hand and is reliable around the rim. She also isn’t scared to step out and hit a deep two.

Against Virginia last week, the Tar Heels brought back redshirt freshman Kayla McPherson. McPherson spent all of last year rehabbing a bothering knee injury suffered in high school and entered North Carolina as a McDonald’s All-American. She led all scorers with 14 against the Cavaliers in her home debut and adds another untapped aspect to UNC’s roster.

Stephanie Zaso | Digital Design Director

How Syracuse beats North Carolina

Against Notre Dame, UNC held Olivia Miles to 15 points on 0-4 shooting from 3-point range. Against Duke, the Tar Heels held Celeste Taylor to just two points on 1-6 shooting while also weathering a scoring outburst from Shayeann Day-Wilson.

Throughout this season, North Carolina has shown its ability to smother opposing guards. If Syracuse wants to win at home on Thursday, they’ll need Fair to continue her impressive slew of high-scoring performances while also getting her teammates involved. Who knows, maybe Woolley or Rice are capable of putting up numbers like Day-Wilson’s 24.

The Orange also need to make sure that both Lewis and Saniaa Wilson contain Poole down low. With Poole coming off of two consecutive double digit scoring performances, it’s imperative that Lewis and Wilson need to stand their ground down low and put a hand out on the perimeter. The two forwards can’t be too overaggressive and get into early foul trouble either, as Asia Strong is still sidelined with a lower-leg injury.

Finally, Syracuse has to stay focused through all 40 minutes. Against ranked opponents, the Orange have shown their ability to stay competitive before faltering in the final period. If SU can maintain control of the tempo and construct efficient possessions down the stretch, a win over the Tar Heels can be a stepping stone in the making of a late argument for the NCAA tournament.

Stat to know: 39.0%

North Carolina’s opponents shoot just 39% from inside the arc this season, 17th-best in the country. With tenacious perimeter defense and height inside, it’s no surprise that UNC will make it difficult for Syracuse to score inside.

Now, the same rules remain for the Orange — close-ranged shots are always easier. But against North Carolina’s inside pressure, Syracuse will have to make sure that Lewis steps out and makes long-range two’s, while Rice gets off to a hot start if they want to win this game. Fair recently scored eight 3s in a single contest, tying a program record.

Player to watch: Deja Kelly, guard, No. 25

Leading North Carolina with 15.9 points per game, Kelly is a do-it-all guard in her junior year. Although she doesn’t shoot the 3-ball too well, Kelly can hit anywhere from inside the arc whether that be a left-handed floater or a pull-up jumper. Averaging a team-high 3.4 assists this season as well, everything starts with Kelly’s high motor and multi-faceted play style.