Orange Downed at #9 North Carolina

Monday, January 16

Chapel Hill, NC

7:00 PM

Syracuse University

11-8, 3-3ACC

North Carolina

17-3, 5-1ACC

Syracuse

North Carolina

1/16/2017 9:18:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Sophomore Tyler Lydon was one of three Orange to score in double figures to lead Syracuse in its 85-68 setback at No. 9 North Carolina on Monday, Jan. 16. The Orange go 11-8 overall, 3-3 in ACC play, while the Tar Heels improve to 17-3, 5-1 in league action.

Lydon was 11-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range on his way to a game-high 26 points. That total was just three shy of his career high set earlier this season against Georgetown. Graduate student Andrew White III added 15 points, and freshman Tyus Battle finished with 13 points to go along with a career-high four steals. Senior Tyler Roberson led the Orange on the boards with eight, while Lydon was right behind with seven.

Freshman Taurean Thompson scored the first basket of the game to give Syracuse an early lead, but North Carolina responded with 12 consecutive points, forcing an Orange timeout. Roberson halted the Tar Heels' offensive outburst with six consecutive points to cut the deficit to four, 12-8, at the 13:03 mark.

A Lydon 3-pointer brought the Orange within two at 16-14, but North Carolina pushed the lead back to six with back-to-back baskets. Syracuse continued chip away at the lead, but the Tar Heels answered each comeback attempt. A three-point play by Battle put Syracuse within five, 33-28, with 2:58 on the clock, but North Carolina recorded the next eight points to take its largest lead of the half, 40-28, and held a 42-30 advantage at halftime.

The Tar Heels opened the second half with a 3-pointer to extend their lead to 45-30. Lydon hit a 3-pointer to spark the Orange on a 12-0 scoring run that cut the deficit to three, 45-32, at the 16:27 mark. Battle had four points during the run, including the final two on a layup after making a steal near midcourt.

North Carolina built its lead back up to 12, 66-54, before White III hit a 3-pointer and Lydon hit a jumper to bring the Orange within seven at the 8:06 mark. That was as close as Syracuse could get as North Carolina continued to extend its lead and recorded the 85-68 victory, which is the 800th career victory for Tar Heels' head coach Roy Williams.

North Carolina controlled the boards, outrebounding the Orange, 44-24. The Tar Heels pulled down 18 offensive rebounds, which led to 20 second-chance points. North Carolina also held a 46-20 advantage in points in the paint.

Syracuse will face its second straight top 20 opponent when it travels to Notre Dame, Ind. to face the No. 15 Fighting Irish on Saturday at noon.