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Syracuse Men's Basketball Hosts No. 16 North Carolina
Orange look to upset ranked Tar Heels at home
Feb. 21, 2026 at 5:07am
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Syracuse men's basketball (15-12, 6-8 ACC) returns home to host No. 16/20 North Carolina Tar Heels (20-6, 8-5 ACC) at the JMA Wireless Dome. The teams last met earlier this month in Chapel Hill, where North Carolina held off a late Syracuse rally for an 87-77 victory. Syracuse continues to rely on its defensive presence, ranking second nationally in blocked shots per game, while North Carolina has dealt with injuries to key frontcourt contributors in recent games.
Why it matters
This game marks the Orange's fourth matchup against a ranked opponent in their last six games, as they look to pull off an upset against the highly-ranked Tar Heels at home. A win would be a significant boost for Syracuse's postseason hopes.
The details
Syracuse is led by senior William Kyle III, who anchors the team's defensive effort and ranks among Division I leaders in total blocks. Offensively, sophomore Donnie Freeman and senior Nate Kingz provide scoring punch. North Carolina is led by senior guard Seth Trimble, but will be without injured forward Caleb Wilson for this game.
- The game tips off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
- The teams last met earlier this month in Chapel Hill on February 8, 2026.
The players
William Kyle III
A senior who anchors Syracuse's defense and ranks among Division I leaders in total blocks.
Donnie Freeman
A sophomore who is a consistent scoring option for the Orange.
Seth Trimble
A senior guard who leads the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Caleb Wilson
A North Carolina forward who will miss this game due to injury.
What they’re saying
“Orange Out the Dome! 🍊🔥”
— Syracuse Men's Basketball
“North Carolina's Caleb Wilson is out for Saturday's game at Syracuse. Henri Veesaar is listed as questionable.”
— NunesMagician.com
“No. 16 North Carolina will be WITHOUT star forward Caleb Wilson (left hand) tomorrow. Do YOU think this game is winnable for Syracuse?”
— Cuse Sports Talk
What’s next
The winner of this game will have momentum heading into the final stretch of the ACC regular season.
The takeaway
This matchup between Syracuse and North Carolina features two teams heading in different directions, with the Orange looking to pull off an upset at home against the highly-ranked Tar Heels who are dealing with key injuries.
