Grading North Carolina’s Lineup Against Syracuse

The Tar Heels orchestrated a well-balanced attack in the win over the Orange on Monday night.

Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) and center Henri Veesaar (13) celebrate during a timeout against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The margin of victory does not accurately depict how dominant the North Carolina Tar Heels were in their win over the Syracuse Orange on Monday night. North Carolina ended up winning 87-77, but it was up by 32 points midway through the second half before completely taking the foot off the gas.

While that development was not the most encouraging, the fact that the Tar Heels were able to manufacture a lead of that magnitude with most of the starting lineup producing underwhelming performances was the most impressive aspect of the game.

With all that being said, here is how North Carolina's starting lineup graded out against Syracuse in the team's 18th win of the season.

Caleb Wilson

Stat line: 22 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, and one steal

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) passes the ball as Syracuse Orange forward Donnie Freeman (1) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The former five-star recruit illustrated his ability to score at multiple levels, hitting contested layups and mid-range shots throughout the game. It was the 16th time this season in which Wilson scored at least 20 points in game, which is the most by any freshman in college basketball this season.

Wilson will need to replicate this type of outing against Cameron Boozer and the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday if the Tar Heels want to earn their 19th win of the season.

Grade: A

Henri Veesaar

Stat line: 17 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Nate Kingz (4) shoots as North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

For the second consecutive game, and for the fourth time in five outings, Veesaar produced a double-double. After a seven-point hiccup against Virginia on Jan. 24, the Arizona transfer has averaged 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds across the last two games.

During that span, Veesaar is shooting 15-of-26 from the field, which is the level of efficiency he was producing prior to Virginia. The Arizona transfer will be a pivotal piece against Duke on Saturday.

Grade: A

Seth Trimble

Stat line: 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Naithan George (11) dribbles as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This was a perplexing outing for the senior guard, who went 2-of-7 from the field, including 1-of-2 from three-point range. Trimble was a non-factor for the majority of this game.

That output in 31 minutes is a major disappointment for a player who needs to be one of the main leaders. This cannot transpire against Duke.

Grade: C-

Derek Dixon

Stat line: 8 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) with the ball as Syracuse Orange guard JJ Starling (2) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Despite scoring only eight points, the freshman guard was a solid contributor in this contest, shooting 2-of-4 from the field, including 1-of-3 from beyond the arc.

Grade: B

Jaydon Young

Stat line: 2 points, 2 assists, and 1 rebound

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jaydon Young (4) reacts during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Since being moved into the starting lineup, Young has totaled 10 points across those five outings. Simply not good enough.

Grade: D

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