Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
The No. 2 Syracuse Orange took on the North Carolina Tar Heels in ACC play with rumors of a possible upset because UNC needed to get the win. North Carolina has defeated teams like the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals and the Michigan State Spartans, but needed the win against the Orange to avoid falling 3 – 0 in conference play and watch their 2014 NCAA Tournament hopes slip away.
Syracuse didn’t let them even get close. C.J. Fair put up 20 points, and a total of four Orange players scored into double-digits. UNC stars James Michael McAdoo and Marcus Paige both put up 15 and 17 points, respectively, but got no help from the rest of the team. No other Tar Heel scored more than four points.
The win means the No. 2 Orange, with their toughest game remaining against the Duke Blue Devils, who lost to the Clemson Tigers, have a very high chance of finishing the 2013-14 college basketball season undefeated. If Syracuse was to finish undefeated, it will have every opportunity to go into the 2014 NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, because it’s going to be extremely difficult for the Arizona Wildcats to go undefeated in the PAC-12.
The ACC may be a lot weaker than anyone previously anticipated, but Syracuse still has what it takes to win the National Championship. Do not sleep on the Orange due to their conference’s struggles, because they have one of the most talented and experienced teams in all of college basketball.
Taylor Sturm is an SEC Basketball Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
