Five takeaways from UNC’s bounce-back Saturday win at Syracuse

Most teams play better at home. Just ask the North Carolina Tar Heels, who had just three road wins entering Saturday’s rematch with Syracuse.

UNC lost 82-58 at NC State on Tuesday, a type of loss demoralizing enough to change prior momentum. It didn’t matter how pretty or ugly Saturday’s game was, but North Carolina needed to win bad.

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The Tar Heels quickly watched their 5-point halftime lead disappear, but they never trailed again. UNC quickly roared ahead after the under-12 media timeout, scoring eight straight points en route to a 77-64 victory over the Orange (15-13, 6-9 ACC).

North Carolina (21-6, 9-5 ACC) greatly benefitted from Henri Veesaar’s return to the starting lineup. Missing each of the Tar Heels’ last two games with injury, Veesaar emphatically announced his presence with a team-high 19 points. Veesaar allowed UNC to run its offense more efficiently, control the paint defensively and space the floor throughout.

Zayden High started each of North Carolina’s previous two games in Veesaar’s place, quickly proving himself for more minutes. High nearly recorded a second-straight double-double on Saturday, scoring nine points and pulling down 11 rebounds, while also sticking up for teammate Jarin Stevenson when fouling out late.

The Tar Heels got back to playing their fast-paced brand of basketball, earning a 19-9 advantage in paint points. UNC’s defense bent at times, but never broke, holding Syracuse to just three makes from deep.

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North Carolina is back in the win column, exactly where it needs to be with an extremely tough finish to regular-season play ahead. Take a look at our top five takeaways from Saturday’s massive victory.

Henri Veesaar’s return greatly benefitted the Tar Heels

Feb 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) reacts to a play past Syracuse Orange forward Tyler Betsey (5) during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Even when he isn’t…

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Publish date : 2026-02-21 23:35:00

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