In the midst of a tumultuous season of ACC play, the North Carolina men’s basketball team showed renewed energy in a victory against N.C. State on Tuesday. With only three conference games remaining, the Tar Heels will look to keep their momentum going with a matchup against Syracuse, slated for Saturday in New York.
The Orange have had struggles of their own since the start of February, losing three out of their last five and falling out of the NCAA Tournament bubble discussion as the final stretch of conference play looms.
For the Tar Heels to get their fifth conference victory of the season and their first two-game winning streak since late January, they will have to find a reason to finish the year strong despite the absence of at-large NCAA Tournament hopes.
After a series of buzzer-beaters, tough losses and the occasional hard-fought win, these three keys can notch UNC a victory against the Orange on Saturday.
Keep looking to Garrison Brooks
Brooks put the team on his back against N.C. State on Tuesday. His 30-point, nine-rebound effort stood out in what has already been an impressive campaign for the forward. After missing UNC's blowout loss at Louisville due to illness, Brooks looked like a man on a mission in his return to action.
The junior came through with key plays on both ends of the floor when the team needed them and helped to close out Tuesday’s matchup by burying shots from the free-throw line in the game’s closing seconds.
Throughout ACC play, the Tar Heels have looked their best when Brooks plays a major role in the offense. The junior has been the only player to reach double-digits in scoring in each of North Carolina’s conference victories, so giving him the ball has to be a priority for UNC to succeed against Syracuse.
