On the road again, UNC basketball program heads to Syracuse

After escaping Coral Gables with a win on Saturday afternoon, Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program are once again on the road as they'll take on Syracuse on Tuesday night.

This will be the second meeting between the two squads, as the first occurred on January 13 in Chapel Hill, a game in which the Tar Heels simply dominated. Can North Carolina find a way to put together another double-digit victory, or will the Orange look for some revenge on their home court?

Key to Victory for North Carolina

Don't take Syracuse lightly.

The Orange have been struggling as of late, having lost three of their last four contests. Just because things haven't been going right doesn't mean you can just overlook them, as they'll have plenty of motivation to redeem themselves from an embarassing loss the Tar Heels handed them a few weeks back.

For North Carolina, the key is to take advantage in the post; Syracuse has some size off the bench but tends to roll with a smaller starting lineup, one that the Tar Heels match up rather well with.

If Armando Bacot can get going early, it will be a huge benefit for the rest of the Tar Heels. By getting Bacot going, it forces Syracuse to have to focus more attention on the big men, providing extra scoring opportunities for the guys around him.

Syracuse will likely look to slow RJ Davis down, but may be forced to pick their poison if Bacot starts to dominate the game early.

Something to Watch For

The Tar Heels have missed Seth Trimble.

That's definitely an understatement, as Trimble is clearly the Tar Heels' most valuable reserve. Against a Syracuse team that features plenty of guard play, North Carolina could really use Trimble's defensive ability and athleticism.

Leading up to the Miami game, Hubert Davis said Trimble was a game time decision. Will Trimble make his return, or will he miss a third consecutive game?

Last Meeting

On January 13, the UNC basketball program defeated Syracuse 103-67 in an absolute dominant performance.

The Tar Heels shot 48.1% from the floor, as RJ Davis led all scorers with 22 points. North Carolina also received double-double performances from Armando Bacot (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Harrison Ingram (11 points, 10 rebounds) in the win.

North Carolina forced 17 turnovers and out-rebounded Syracuse by a very wide margin (53-30). The Tar Heels scored over 50 points in each half as 11 different players put the ball in the basket.

Projected Starters

No. 2 Elliot Cadeau (Fr. 6-1, 180) 8.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 3.8 apg
No. 3 Cormac Ryan (Sr. 6-5, 195) 10.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.3 apg
No. 4 R.J. Davis (Sr. 6-0, 180) 21.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.5 apg
No. 5 Armando Bacot (Gr. 6-11, 240) 14.2 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.5 apg
No. 55 Harrison Ingram (Jr. 6-7, 235) 12.5 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.3 apg