Hubert Davis says 'a number of things' stand out about Syracuse

North Carolina will be looking to extend their three-game winning streak to four games on Tuesday when they hit the road to take on Syracuse. Leading into the game, Tar Heel’s head coach Hubert Davis was asked what one thing stands out or worries him the most about their matchup against the Orange.

“Well I mean it’s a number of things, from a defensive standpoint they do a terrific job of protecting the paint, contesting shots, just making it very difficult to find rhythm shots on the offensive end,” Davis said “And so at the end of the day, we’re going to have to make some shots, we’re gonna have to make some threes. So our ability to shoot the basketball is going to be huge against Syracuse.”

Jim Boeheim’s 2-3 zone defense has been an effective staple for years at Syracuse, and it’s particularly effective with the individual talent they have this season. The Orange roster has the ACC’s blocks and steals leader in center Jesse Edwards who’s averaging 2.8 blocks per game and freshman guard Judah Mintz who’s averaging two steals per game.

Syracuse’s defense may be their calling card, but their offense is also a force to be reckon with, which Davis also spoke about on Monday.

“Defensively they’ve got some real gifted and talented players that not only can score, but they can create shots in one-on-one situations. And so for us to be able to defend, defend without fouling, rebound the basketball, and allow us to get out in transition I think that’s gonna be huge for us,” Davis said.

The Orange roster consists of accurate and efficient scorers, ranking second in the ACC in field goal percentage shooting 46.7% from the field this season. They’re led by the conference’s fifth-leading scorer in Joseph Girard III, who averages 17.5 points per game and is fresh off of his second 28-point game of the season after making six three-pointers versus Georgia Tech.

“It’s always a tough challenge to play against Syracuse, great team, unbelievable coaching staff, and it’s even more difficult to play against them on the road as well,” Davis said. “And so we’re looking forward to the challenge and know that it’ll be extremely competitive, but we’re excited about the game tomorrow night.”

Both teams will be looking to secure their seventh ACC win of the season, as the Tar Heels and Orange will tip off on Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. ET in a game airing on ESPN.