When North Carolina’s Christian Keeling’s 3-pointer once again rattled through the rim to make it a 16-point game, head coach Jim Boeheim didn’t yell or fret. He had seen it enough times. Instead, his eyes widened in shock. 

Syracuse (16-13, 9-9 Atlantic Coast) entered the game thinking it had things figured out. Of course, they expect to win every game, center Bourama Sidibe said, but a loss like this was never even considered. UNC (12-17, 5-13) came into the Carrier Dome ranked 336th in the nation, per KenPom, in 3-point shooting. Led by Cole Anthony, the Tar Heels knocked down a season-high 11 3-pointers. Almost every one of them came against a press-centered variation of SU’s 2-3 zone defense that was supposed to limit the guards. Instead, it allowed them to destroy SU.

“We didn’t get to the 3-point shooters,” Boeheim said. “We just didn’t.”

Wednesday’s performance against Pittsburgh was the best example of a key trend: Syracuse’s defense propels its offense forward. Though the Orange are known better as an offensive dynamo because of their play from beyond the arc and Elijah Hughes’ scoring punch, Syracuse has not won a game it has allowed at least 85 points all season. SU’s offense doesn’t have the potency to elevate it in a high-scoring contest, and each offensive explosion noticeably drains the Orange’s energy.

When the ball stalled at the top of the zone in UNC star guard Anthony’s hands midway through the second half, Buddy Boeheim and Joe Girard III, stood at the top of the zone, crept forward. This forced Anthony to give up the ball or beat them off the dribble. In a similar way they have several times this year, Syracuse implemented a “press zone,” Quincy Guerrier said. SU guards would meet UNC’s ball handler in front of the half-court line and in the half-court sets, forcing the action on North Carolina’s ball-handlers. 

Max Freund | Staff Photographer

The strategy had some success early on, and Anthony’s quick bursts into the paint were the Tar Heels’ only foreseeable chances for offense. Short jumpers clanked off the rim. Passes were fumbled under the basket. But the ball movement picked up and the blows came early for Syracuse. Keeling hit one 3. Then another. Anthony noticed a passing lane between SU’s two guards at the top of the zone and the movement became perpendicular through the high post, leading to several open 3’s for UNC.

“I mean…” Buddy said when asked about the defensive rotations. He stopped, pondered and puffed air. “A couple of times they got some offensive rebounds and passed it out to (Anthony). We weren’t in the right spot.”

As 3-pointer after 3-pointer rained down, Syracuse’s energy stalled. In the first half, a loose ball ricocheted off Brandon Robinson’s leg after a North Carolina stop. He ran over and toed the out of bounds line with one leg outstretched, his momentum swinging toward the scorer’s table and just a single option to pass to with the Orange players swarming. But three Syracuse players never turned their back, Robinson made the pass easily as they waltzed back and SU let up another open shot.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Guerrier said when asked about the lack of energy. “I don’t know what to say about that.”

Syracuse was outrebounded, 39-29, and its press-up style on defense made the rotations of the corners longer. North Carolina used it to perhaps end any remnant of SU’s NCAA Tournament hopes. Early in the second half, Robinson rose from the corner and knocked down another 3-pointer to stretch the North Carolina lead to 11 points after a late run at the end of the first half put Syracuse in manageable territory. It quickly trended back toward disaster. A timeout was called and as Syracuse walk-on Brendan Paul left the bench, he couldn’t even contain the bewilderment as he watched the Orange carved up from the sideline.

He left his chair, turned away and ducked his head. His eyes widened. “Wow,” he mouthed. 

The loss is Syracuse’s ninth-straight to North Carolina, but it came unlike many in the history of two teams playing: With a hint of shock.

Published on February 29, 2020 at 8:20 pm

Contact Michael: mmcclear@syr.edu | @MikeJMcCleary