North Carolina Back to Winning Ways in Henri Veesaar's Return

The North Carolina Tar Heels received good news ahead of their matchup against the Syracuse Orange, with center Henri Veesaar returning to the lineup after missing two games. Could the Tar Heels bounce back from a 24-point loss with their star center back in the starting lineup?

First Half

Feb 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Donnie Freeman (1) controls the ball against North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Syracuse jumped out to a hot start, connecting on 5-of-9 shots to begin the game, but North Carolina was able to recover after falling behind 8-2. At the 14-minute mark, the Tar Heels trailed 10-7, despite shooting 3-of-9 from the field.

With Veesaar off the floor, North Carolina held Syracuse to 1-of-4 shooting, but it was not able to fully take advantage of the stout defense. The Orange led 12-9 at the under 12-minute timeout.

Missing two straight games and practicing in a limited fashion did not affect Veesaar, who led the team with nine points while shooting 4-of-5 from the field. Jonathan Powell also made an immediate impact off the bench, hitting two three-point attempts. The Tar Heels led 22-18 with 7:43 on the clock.

Feb 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) drives against Syracuse Orange guard Nate Kingz (4) during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

A welcoming sign for North Carolina, which grew its lead with Veesaar on the bench. The Tar Heels' defense turned into offense, as they attacked Syracuse in transition. This would lead to several trips to the free throw line, and North Carolina's size was starting to overwhelm the Orange. The Tar Heels led 30-22 with 3: 58 remaining in the first half.

North Carolina closed out the first half shooting 8-of-11 from the field, but sloppy turnovers and ill-advised fouls kept Syracuse within striking distance The Tar Heels took a 33-28 lead into halftime, which has been an advantageous spot for them, as they are 16-1 this season when leading at half.

Second Half

Feb 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) drives against Syracuse Orange guard J.J. Starling (2) during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

J.J. Starling would score the Orange's first six points of the second half, and North Carolina suddenly found itself in a tie game. However, Veesaar and Luka Bogavac - the Tar Heels' two leading scorers - stopped the bleeding with a couple of floaters. North Carolina would maintain a 40-36 lead heading into the first media timeout.

The Tar Heels struggled to gain any traction, as Syracuse began to steal the momentum with Starling continuing to carry the offense. With 12 minutes left in the game, both teams were knotted at 44-44.

Feb 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis looks on during the first half against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

In the next four minutes, North Carolina would orchestrate a 12-4 run, which was spearheaded by Seth Trimble, who compiled seven points and one assist during this stretch. The Tar Heels led 56-48 with 7:35 remaining in the contest.

Gritty defense continued to propel North Carolina, as it grew its lead to double digits. It was a well-balanced attack by the Tar Heels, as they had four players with at least nine points. Despite shooting 9-of-20 from the free throw line, North Carolina led 65-53 with just over three minutes remaining.

Unlike the last meeting between these two teams, the Tar Heels were able to comfortably close out the game and complete the season sweep over Syracuse.

Final: North Carolina 77, Syracuse 64

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