North Carolina's Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Run Concludes With Loss As Syracuse Advances To The Quarterfinals

North Carolina isn’t moving on to the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Greensboro North Carolina after their loss to Syracuse.

Garrison Brooks scored 18 points for the 14th-seeded Tar Heels, who missed 23 of 31 shots — including all seven 3-point tries — in the opening half as Syracuse took over. Potential one-and-done point guard Cole Anthony, averaging 19.1 points, managed just five points on 2-for-10 shooting. “according to an article by Aaron Beard of the Associated Press

The Tar Heels finished 33%, including 2 for 16 on 3-pointers. The school said it surpassed the previous record for a losing margin of 26 points set against Duke in the 2001 championship game.”according to an article by Aaron Beard of the Associated Press

Meanwhile Syracuse is on the other end of the spectrum as they get to advance to the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament where they will face the third seed Louisville on Thursday at 9pm.

Syracuse (18-14) jumped out to a 7-0 lead and never looked back in an 81-53 victory against North Carolina (14-19), Wednesday night at Greensboro Coliseum in the second round of the ACC Tournament. The win snapped the Orange's nine-game losing streak to the Tar Heels dating back to January 11, 2014.”according to https://cuse.com/news/2020/3/11/mens-basketball-orange-advance-past-tar-heels-face-cardinals-thursday.aspx
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First-team All-ACC performer Elijah Hughes paced Syracuse with 27 points, including 18 in the first half. Bourama Sidibe posted his fifth double-double of the season and his third in his last five games with 12 points and 13 rebounds.”according to https://cuse.com/news/2020/3/11/mens-basketball-orange-advance-past-tar-heels-face-cardinals-thursday.aspx
 
HUGHES COMES OUT HOT
Hughes tallied 11 of the first 19 Syracuse points of the game to build a 19-8 advantage for the Orange in the opening 7:37. Hughes, the ACC's leading scorer in the regular season, was 3-for-3 from the free throw line and 3-for-7 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers in his strong start. North Carolina went three and half minutes without a basket and made only six of its first 21 field goal attempts against the 'Cuse defense. Sidibe grabbed five rebounds for the Orange in the early going.”according to https://cuse.com/news/2020/3/11/mens-basketball-orange-advance-past-tar-heels-face-cardinals-thursday.aspx
 
Six consecutive points from the Tar Heels cut the Syracuse lead to four with 6:47 remaining in the first half but five points from Quincy Guerrier put the Orange back on top, 29-22, with just under five minutes before the break.”according to https://cuse.com/news/2020/3/11/mens-basketball-orange-advance-past-tar-heels-face-cardinals-thursday.aspx
 
ORANGE TAKE CONTROL
Syracuse took command of the contest late in the first half, closing on a 15-0 scoring run and not allowing a North Carolina point for the final 5:24. The Orange took a 43-22 edge into the locker room, Hughes setting the pace with 18 points and Sidibe led all players with eight boards. Quincy Guerrier totaled seven points and seven rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench in the first 20. “according to https://cuse.com/news/2020/3/11/mens-basketball-orange-advance-past-tar-heels-face-cardinals-thursday.aspx
 
The Tar Heels only trimmed their deficit to as few as 16 in the second half as 'Cuse kept its foot on the gas and cruised to the 28-point victory. The Orange ended the contest outscoring their opponents, 21-10, in the last 11 minutes of play, eight points coming from Buddy Boeheim, who finished with 15 in the second half and 17 on the night.”according to https://cuse.com/news/2020/3/11/mens-basketball-orange-advance-past-tar-heels-face-cardinals-thursday.aspx
 
The "O-zone" defense forced 11 North Carolina turnovers in the second half with Syracuse committing seven steals and only coughing up the ball three times. The Orange turned the Tar Heel miscues into 14 points.”according to https://cuse.com/news/2020/3/11/mens-basketball-orange-advance-past-tar-heels-face-cardinals-thursday.aspx