Why North Carolina’s Bench Was Monumental Against Syracuse

Monday night's 87-77 win over the Syracuse Orange was another example of the North Carolina's depth's impact bleeding through the stat sheet, as the bench was monumental in the victory.

Considering North Carolina held a 32-point lead at one point in the second half, it was disappointing that the Tar Heels were only capable of winning by 10 points.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference, head coach Hubert Davis expressed his disdain of that occurring.

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis reacts in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

“I put a lot of stock in it. We always talk about finishing possessions, finishing halves, finishing games, and that’s just unacceptable," Davis said. "I thought we were playing really well on both ends of the floor. I felt defensively, we were getting better throughout the game, especially second half. I thought we responded and came out on both ends of the floor."

"We were on point, and Syracuse is a great basketball team," Davis continued. "Coach Autry is a fantastic coach, and you can see they’re extremely talented. But the last nine minutes and 32 seconds, just a departure of what allowed us to get the lead — taking good shots, taking care of the basketball, executing defensively, defending without fouling. Execution wise, defensively, boxing out, just different stuff like that, and they got it to six. And so, we’ll watch the film and learn from it.”

All that being said, here is an assessment of North Carolina's bench in win over Syracuse on Monday night.

Jonathan Powell

Stat line: 12 points and 1 rebound

The sophomore guard was instrumental in the Tar Heels establishing a comfortable lead at halftime, jumpstarting the offense late in the first half. Powell shot 4-of-5 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Powell did foul out, limiting him to 13 minutes, which makes his output even more impressive.

Grade: A

Luka Bogavac

Stat line: 10 points, 2 assists, and 1 rebound

For the third straight game, Bogavac scored 10 points while shooting over 50 percent from the field. On Monday night, the overseas transfer shot 4-of-6 from the field, including knocking down his lone three-point attempt.

Bogavac has transformed his game over the last three games, demonstrating that he can be replied upon in the biggest moments.

Grade: B+

Jarin Stevenson

Stat line: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist

The Alabama transfer was more than serviceable against Syracuse, contributing on both sides of the floor. Stevenson shot 2-of-6 from the field, including 1-of-3 from beyond the arc, which was somewhat disappointing, but he will continue to evolve into an important piece for this team moving forward.

Grade: B-

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