Gameday data
Tip: 9:00 p.m. ET
Tv: ESPN
Unfold: North Carolina -4.5
Cash line: North Carolina -196, Syracuse +164
Whole: 150
North Carolina workforce preview
File: 14-6 (6-3)
Kienbaum Rank: 24 (sixteenth Assault, 59th Protection)
Current video games: 80-69 W in opposition to NC State, 72-64 W in opposition to Boston School, 80-59 W at Louisville
Main scorers:
Father Armando Pacote (17.8 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 1.1 bpg)
G.R.G. Davies (16.8 ppg, 4.8 rpm, 3.2 apg)
J Caleb Love (16.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.0 apg)
The North Carolina workforce has been buying and selling in convention play, successful 5 of its final six video games. The Tar Heels are nonetheless unranked after being No. 1 preseason, however they’re nonetheless a reputable menace to tour in March. Taking part in just like the ACC Participant of the 12 months, celebrity Armando Bacot pulled off a 23-point, 18-rebound efficiency in a large win in opposition to rival NC State on Saturday.
Offensively, this workforce passes Bacot – he has a utilization price of 27.9%, fifth highest within the ACC. Bacot is without doubt one of the most proficient gamers within the nation, holding the very best discipline objective share within the ACC amongst gamers who common at the least 10 shot makes an attempt per sport. He additionally attracts quite a lot of contacts and averages extra free throw makes an attempt than some other participant within the ACC.
The principle storyline of the season within the Heels was Caleb Love’s fall on a three-point capturing. A 12 months in the past, Love had shot 36% from three-point vary and was considered the most effective shot-making guards within the nation. This 12 months, he is solely shot 26.8% of downtown, polarizing Tar Heels followers with selecting the shot within the course of. If he was hitting pictures from the perimeter, this workforce can be laborious to beat, however that hasn’t been the case in any respect recently.
Defensively, North Carolina has struggled considerably this season however has picked up that recently. They common 6.7 steals per sport of their three-game successful streak, and have moved up from tenth to seventh within the ACC in steals per sport in that span.
Syracuse workforce preview
File: 13-7 (6-3)
Kienbaum Rank: 81 (Offense 56, Protection 126)
Current video games: 80-63W at Georgia Tech, 82-78LT at Miami (FL), 78-73W in opposition to Notre Dame
Main scorers:
Father Joseph Gerrard III (17.5 ppg, 3.3 apg, 38.2% 3P)
the daddy. G Judah Mintz (14.9 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.0 spg)
Father C Jesse Edwards (13.9 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.8 bpg)
After some shaky non-conference performances, together with losses to Bryant and Colgate at dwelling, Jim Boeheim’s Syracuse workforce has regained a surprisingly 6-3 report within the ACC thus far. It needs to be famous, although, that they’ve misplaced all three of their most difficult matches up up to now (vs. Pitt, in VA, in Miami). Jim Boeheim asks quite a lot of his younger expertise early on – 4 of the seven greatest rotational gamers to have performed minutes are rookies.
Offensively, the workforce’s success is linked to capturing within the neighborhood of Joseph Gerrard. In losses this 12 months, he shot 28% from three-point vary, whereas he shoots 42.2% depth in wins. Girard has been capturing it in excessive gear recently, as evidenced by his dominant 28-point efficiency in opposition to Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Scoring for this Syracuse workforce is extremely ramped up by the highest three gamers (Gerrard III, Mintz, and Edwards), who rating 61.2% of the workforce’s factors. Mintz has the ball in his arms lots and averages 4.5 assists per sport, whereas Jesse Edwards makes use of his top and size to attain within the inside.
Defensively, the patented 2-3 District has been stable in convention play. Gerrard is a infamous defender on the prime of the corkscrew – it is laborious to be confused standing 6’1″ along with his lack of top. Ivan Mea’s participant rankings give 4 out of 5 starters (Gerrard, Mintz, Chris Bell, Penny Williams) common Poor particular person defensive rankings.
Freshman Malik Brown has seen a big uptick in minutes recently, and is chipping away at a season-high 18 factors. He’s additionally a stable defender on the backside of the realm. The district anchor is Edwards, main the ACC in blocks with 2.8 rejections per contest.
prediction:
Syracuse beat only one workforce this 12 months inside Kenbaum’s High 100—#46 Virginia Tech. North Carolina is enjoying high quality ball proper now, so I am prepared to place the factors in right here. Caleb Love and RJ Davis will get quite a lot of clear seems from behind the bow on this one, and I see this because the place to get Love. Davis is an efficient defender who can play Gerrard tightly. Whereas he was exceptionally proficient, younger Judah Mintz sometimes confirmed up (solely three factors in opposition to Miami on 1/16). Jesse Edwards can upset Bacot along with his dimension, however he can battle to remain out of dingy bother, which utterly adjustments the look of this sport. North Carolina is a prime 25 workforce, and I believe their confidence and swagger are as excessive as they’ve been all season after beating NC State. The Provider Dome will swing, however I help this Carolina workforce, who I anticipate will thrive offensively in opposition to the realm.
The Choose: North Carolina -4.5
Predicted ultimate rating: North Carolina 79, Syracuse 70
2022-23 ATS File: 5-3
Observe @DeaconsDaily on Twitter Twitter And Instagram For extra Wake Forest content material