Wilson Addresses UNC’s 2nd-Half Collapse Against Orange

It was a mixed-bag performance by the North Carolina Tar Heels on Monday night, as they defeated the Syracuse Orange 87-77 at the Dean E. Smith Center. On one hand, the Tar Heels led by 32 points midway through the second half. On the other, North Carolina nearly blew that lead, seeing it evaporate to six points with less than a minute remaining in the game.

Freshman phenom Caleb Wilson had nothing to do with that development, leading the way for the Tar Heels with 22 points, nine rebounds, one assist, and one steal while shooting 6-of-14 from the field, including 10-of-13 from the free throw line.

While speaking with the media during his postgame press conference, Wilson revealed what exactly transpired on Monday night.

Wilson's Thoughts

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

Speaking of that 32-point lead dwindling down a six-point advantage, Wilson gave a short response to what led to the Tar Heels' near second-half collapse.

"We just lost focus, and really all I can say is we should have just kept focused," Wilson said.

The 6-foot-9, 216-pound forward also attributed lack of execution as a catalyst for Syracuse finding a way back into the contest.

"Probably just poor execution, offensively and defensively; just not being detailed and sticking to what we did to start the game to get us the lead," Wilson said.

Despite a disappointing end to the game, which still resulted in a win for North Carolina, Wilson's mindset remains the same. The superstar forward is not going to let the late-game struggles affect his process and attitude moving forward.

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) with the ball as Syracuse Orange guard Nate Kingz (4) and guard Naithan George (11) defend in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"I mean, we still won," Wilson said. "It's just something to learn from. Every game is not going to be a 30-point blowout. It's always on to the next."

North Carolina's bench has transformed into a legitimate source of offense in the last few weeks, which has been a major factor in the Tar Heels' recent success. Wilson discussed the importance of the depth on this roster, and how it helped the team build the lead early in the game and solidified the win late in the game.

"It's big to have guys on the bench that you can trust to make timely shots down the clutch, and I feel like we just have that," Wilson said. “It’s already helped us. But it will help us in games later on, too.”

The Tar Heels will have to be more focused on Saturday against the Blue Devils if they want to beat an elite team and defend its home court

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