Monday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference features two teams trying to climb the league standings as the Syracuse Orange visit the North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill.
Syracuse enters at 13-9 overall and is coming off a home win over Notre Dame. The Orange are 5-5 in their last 10 games and finished January at 4-4. They opened the month with three straight wins before dropping four in a row, with losses at Boston College, home against Virginia Tech and Miami, and on the road at NC State. Syracuse closed the month with a much-needed win over Notre Dame.
North Carolina checks in at 17-4 and is looking for its fourth straight win. The Tar Heels are coming off a road victory at Georgia Tech on Saturday, scoring 91 points for the second time in three games. After back-to-back road losses earlier in the month at Stanford and California, North Carolina has responded with wins over Notre Dame, Virginia, and Georgia Tech.
After Monday night, Syracuse faces a challenging stretch. The Orange travel to Virginia on February 7, then return home to host California and SMU. That is followed by a road trip to Duke and a rematch against North Carolina.
North Carolina hosts Duke on Saturday in the first meeting of the season between the rivals. The Tar Heels then travel to Miami before returning home to host Pittsburgh. The rest of the month includes road games at NC State and Syracuse, along with home dates against Louisville and Virginia Tech.
Syracuse vs. North Carolina: When and Where
- Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
- Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Location: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC
Syracuse vs. North Carolina: Where to Watch or Stream
- TV: ESPN
- Streaming: FuboTV
Syracuse vs. North Carolina Betting Odds
- Spread: North Carolina -10.5, Syracuse +10.5
- Moneyline: North Carolina -750, Syracuse +475
- Total: 155.5
Syracuse vs. North Carolina: Series History
- All-time series: North Carolina leads 14-5
- Last meeting: North Carolina defeated Syracuse 88-82 on February 15, 2025
Projected Starting Lineups
Syracuse Orange
- #42 William Kyle III – 9.5 ppg
- #2 JJ Starling – 12.0 ppg
- #4 Nate Kingz – 11.0 ppg
- #11 Naithan George – 9.5 ppg
- #00 Sadiq White Jr. – 6.3 ppg
- #1 Donnie Freeman has made 11 starts and is averaging 18.3 ppg
North Carolina Tar Heels
- #8 Caleb Wilson – 20.0 ppg
- #13 Henri Veesaar – 16.8 ppg
- #7 Seth Trimble – 14.5 ppg
- #44 Luka Bogavac – 10.0 ppg
- #00 Kyan Evans – 5.3 ppg
- #15 Jarin Stevenson has made 14 starts and averages 7.0 ppg
ACC Showdown Outlook
This sets up as an intriguing ACC matchup. Playing in Chapel Hill typically brings out North Carolina’s best shooting and defensive intensity, especially at home. Syracuse will need to stay active defensively and convert open looks to keep pace.
Both teams are chasing another quality conference win. A victory would be Syracuse’s 14th of the season and North Carolina’s 18th. Expect a competitive game on Monday night with the Tar Heels looking to protect home court and the Orange aiming to prove they can win in a difficult road environment.