Syracuse Basketball: How the Orange will defeat the Tar Heels at home

Syracuse basketball (13-7 overall, 6-3 in the ACC) is back home at the JMA Wireless Dome on Tuesday, as the Orange gets set for an Atlantic Coast Conference battle against the North Carolina Tar Heels (14-6 overall, 6-3 in the ACC) at 9 pm eastern time on ESPN.

The Orange is coming off an 80-63 road win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and now the ‘Cuse looks to take down an ACC powerhouse in the Tar Heels.

Here are my player to watch and keys for Syracuse basketball to knock off North Carolina.

Player To Watch

Senior shooting guard Joe Girard III is the player to watch in this game against the Tar Heels, as he will look to carry his impressive performance last game over to this critical match-up against North Carolina.

Girard, who tallied 28 points, seven assists, and five rebounds against the Yellow Jackets, needs to come into this match-up locked in from behind the arc. His ability to shoot from deep, be a player for the Orange to rely on in tough situations, and his ability to see the court make him a player who is key for the Orange’s current success.

Keys To The Game

1. Move The Rock– Syracuse basketball had 18 assists last game against Georgia Tech, which was two less than the Yellow Jackets had. The Orange needs to move the ball, find the open man, and make plays for one another from either behind the arc or in the paint.
2. 2-3 Lockdown– The Syracuse Orange signature defense, the 2-3 zone, needs to play its best defense all year when going up against the North Carolina Tar Heels, a high-scoring team. Syracuse basketball will need to prevent the ball from getting inside the paint, the Orange needs to lock down the three-point arc, and Syracuse basketball can’t allow North Carolina to convert easy baskets throughout the game.
3. The Dome Is Home– Syracuse basketball is playing on its home court, and the Orange needs to feed off the hometown fans to stay in the game. The Orange needs to play its style of basketball, hit the boards hard, and make sure it defends the team’s home court.

Prediction

The Orange is coming off an impressive road win and is looking to keep the momentum going as Syracuse basketball continues its ACC run. Syracuse needs to play an error-free game, where the team’s defense is not allowing any easy points and its offense is making the most of its chances. If Syracuse basketball does this, the Orange will walk out of the Dome with a 75-70 win over the Tar Heels.