Who Got Next: UNC Heads Up North to Syracuse

UNC looks to continue their winning streak as they head to New York to face Syracuse. Check out the outline for today's game.

Coming off a strong win against NC State at home, UNC looks to take their success on the road as they head to face off with Jim Boeheim and the Syracuse Orange. 

As the season winds down, the Heels are looking for consistency and chemistry to build off sweeping the Wolfpack for the season. With Christian Keeling and his long twos, Garrison Brooks and his dominant inside presence, Carolina looks to revitalize the last leg of their season and hopeful for a miracle run in the ACC tourney and sneak into the postseason. Senior guard, Brandon Robinson, has been repeating the same sentiment the last two weeks, "We're not your typical last-place team, we can go up against anyone."

Who: Syracuse Orange

Where: Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY

Date: 2/29/2020

Time: 4 pm EST

Watch: ESPN (Doug Sherman, Cory Alexander)

Listen: Tar Heel Sports Properties (Jones Angell and Eric Montross) and UNC 390

The facts on this afternoon's match-up:

• Carolina (11-17, 4-13) vs. Syracuse (16-12, 9-8)
• Carolina is 8-4 when playing on February 29, including wins 1984, 2004, 2012, and 2016 (over Syracuse in Chapel Hill).
• Both teams are coming off midweek wins. The Heels defeated NC State, 85-79, and Syracuse defeated Pitt.
• Carolina's win over State snapped a seven-game losing streak. The second-longest losing streak in team history.
• Carolina is 12-4 all-time against Syracuse, including 8-1 since the Orange joined the conference. The Heels have won the last eight meetings.
• The Tar Heels are 3-1 against the Orange in the Carrier Dome.
• Coach Roy Williams is 9-4 against Syracuse, including 1-2 at Kansas and 8-2 at UNC.
• The last time they met February 26, 2019, in Chapel Hill, UNC 93, Syracuse 85.

Player Notes:

• Freshman guard Cole Anthony is averaging 19.4 points. He has played in only 17 games doesn't qualify for NCAA stats, but his average would be the second-highest by a freshman and is on pace to have the highest by a Tar Heel. (a record last held by Tyler Hanborough, 18.9)
• Anthony is averaging 19.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists in the eight games since he returned from a right knee injury that sidelined him for 11 games.
• Junior power forward guard, Garrison Brooks, scored 30 points against NC State. It was his eighth game this season with 20 or more points and his second game with 30+ points.
• Brooks is one of three players in the ACC in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage. He is eighth in scoring (15.7), third in rebounding (8.5) and eighth in field goal percentage (.532).
• Keeling is averaging 12.4 points and is shooting 55.7 percent from the floor in the last seven games (6.0 more than his season average).
• Graduate student Christian Keeling has scored in double figures in 93 college games, including five of the last seven games (and six times overall) as a Tar Heel.
• Senior guard Brandon Robinson is averaging 6.0 points and is 3 for 15 from three-point range in the three games since he returned from a four-game absence due to a right ankle injury.
• Freshman forward Armando Bacot has nine double-doubles in points and rebounds. He's the first Tar Heel freshman with nine double-doubles since Antawn Jamison set the freshman record with 13 in 1995-96.