Judah Mintz scored 25 points and JJ Starling added 23 as host Syracuse upset No. 7 North Carolina 86-79 in Atlantic Coast Conference action on Tuesday.
Maliq Brown had 14 points and Chris Bell chipped in 13 points for the Orange (16-9, 7-7 ACC), who lost at North Carolina 103-67 last month and entered without a win over a top-10 opponent since January 2019.
The suddenly vulnerable Tar Heels (19-6, 11-3) have lost three of their last five games after a 10-game winning streak. RJ Davis (19 points) and Cormac Ryan (18) were the team’s leading scorers, while Harrison Ingram (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Armando Bacot (14 points, 10 boards) each registered a double-double for North Carolina.
With just under seven minutes left, Starling gave the Orange a 67-65 lead when he banked in a long 3-pointer late on the shot clock. He drained another one with 2:47 to play, giving Syracuse a 76-69 edge.
Davis promptly cut into the Tar Heels’ deficit with a 3-pointer and Ryan made one of his own with 50 seconds left, bringing North Carolina within 80-75. Ingram’s tip-in made it a four-point game with 41 seconds left.
However, Ryan committed a turnover on the Tar Heels’ next possession and the Orange made enough free throws down the stretch.
Syracuse took an early 21-11 lead thanks to 8-of-11 shooting to begin the game. The hosts still led by 10 with 8:03 left in the half before 3-pointers by Jalen Washington and Davis helped North Carolina rally to draw even at 34-34 with 4:26 left.
The Tar Heels went ahead by four with 2:51 left, but Starling made two jumpers down the stretch to forge a 42-42 tie at intermission.
Bell and Starling each made a 3-pointer early in the second half as the Orange went ahead 52-43. However, the Tar Heels’ stormed back to tie the score 58-58 with 10:02 left in the game.
–Field Level Media
