UNC Aims to Avoid Trap Game Against Syracuse Ahead of Duke Clash

The Tar Heels must first take care of business against the Orange before turning their attention to the big rivalry matchup.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 11:31pm

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The University of North Carolina men's basketball team faces Syracuse on Monday night, aiming to avoid a trap game and keep momentum heading into Saturday's highly anticipated rivalry matchup against Duke. UNC is coming off a win over Georgia Tech and will look to extend its winning streak to four games against the Orange, who are struggling recently with just one win in their last five contests.

Why it matters

UNC has lost its mid-week matchup before the Duke rivalry game in each of the last three seasons, so avoiding a letdown performance against Syracuse is crucial for the Tar Heels to maintain their positive momentum and set up the big showdown with the Blue Devils.

The details

UNC will be led by its top three scorers - forward Caleb Wilson, center Henri Veesaar, and senior guard Seth Trimble. The Tar Heels will look to limit Syracuse's perimeter shooting and dominate the rebounding battle, areas where the Orange have struggled this season. Despite the quick turnaround, UNC was able to get back to practice quickly after its win over Georgia Tech.

  • UNC faces Syracuse on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
  • UNC hosts Duke on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

The players

Caleb Wilson

UNC forward who led the team with 22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in the win over Georgia Tech.

Henri Veesaar

UNC center who added 20 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals against Georgia Tech.

Seth Trimble

UNC senior guard and team leader, averaging 14.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

Nate Kingz

Syracuse guard who scored 28 points in the Orange's win over Notre Dame.

JJ Starling

Syracuse guard who scored 21 points in the win over Notre Dame.

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What’s next

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The takeaway

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