2 Quotes That Set Stage for UNC-Syracuse Matchup

The North Carolina Tar Heels carry a three-game winning streak into Monday night's tilt against the Syracuse Orange at the Dean E. Smith Center.

Here is what head coach Hubert Davis has said throughout the week that carries weight heading into this pivotal ACC matchup.

The Importance of Rebounding

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) blocks out California Golden Bears guard Nolan Dorsey (21) during the second half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

“Everybody gets involved,” Davis said. “One of the things in the past I used to say is, ‘This isn’t a Armando Bacot rebounding game, this is a UNC rebounding game.’ And it’s not a Caleb [Wilson] and Henri [Veesaar] rebounding game. It’s all UNC players have to be on board and on deck. There have been times where our anticipation and our eagerness to get to the offensive end before the ball has been secured has been a problem for us.”

“I didn’t anticipate Caleb and Henri being out rebounded by those two, but if those guys do the same thing, and then we can bring others along, like Jonathan [Powell] and Seth [Trimble], now that’s what I’m talking about,” Davis said. “Just a collective rebounding to be able to secure the ball and be able to rebound, so we can transition to the offensive end.”

“Yeah, I mean, one of the things was rebounding, I mean, he had 12 rebounds today," Davis said of Veesaar's impact in the 91-75 win over Georgia Tech. "And that’s just something we need him to consistently be able to do that. I felt like he was a really good rhythm offensively, mixing up his game, whether it was offensive rebounds, post-ups, or spotting up from three. And that’s what Henri can do. And so, it’s nice to see him get back into an offensive rhythm tonight.”

Supporting Cast Stepping Up

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) and guard Luka Bogavac (44) and SMU Mustangs forward Corey Washington (3) look on during the game between the Mustangs and the Tar Heels at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“[Jarin Stevenson] can guard on the perimeter. He can guard on the post. He’s got size. He can move his feet offensively," Davis said. "We found a couple plays that worked for us that either got our guard going downhill, got Jarin open from three, or we got a little guy on Caleb [Wilson] down on the post by himself. And Jarin, in those times, stepped up and knocked down some big-time threes, and when Henri got in foul trouble and got his fourth, that was a lineup that we had in there. And I kept it throughout the rest of the game because it worked on both ends.”

“It wasn’t just that,” Davis said of Stevenson's scoring output. “It was his rebounding, his defense. He got that charge late in the big play second half, which was a huge play.”

Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis with guard Derek Dixon (3) in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

“A number of people showed up and played really well,” Davis said. “[In] our wins last week, you can point to a dozen of people that contributed in so many ways.”

“Derek [Dixon] has a calmness and a confidence about himself that, especially as a freshman, I never experienced,” Davis said. “That confidence and that composure, the team feels. They just do. Derek got the ball up the floor, got us into our offense.”

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