North Carolina
No. 7 North Carolina brings 'elite defense' into clash vs. Syracuse
It’s stacking up as a potential special season for No. 7 North Carolina in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
And the Tar Heels finally get another home game when Syracuse visits Chapel Hill, N.C., on Saturday afternoon.
First-place North Carolina (12-3, 4-0 ACC) is back home following three straight road games. The Tar Heels are 4-0 in ACC play for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
“Our guys are just gaining strength from being in those situations, and I just really feel like the experience in the early season has given us confidence to be able to step,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said.
Syracuse (11-4, 2-2) has played just once since losing to Duke on Jan. 2. The Orange scored a 69-59 victory against visiting Boston College.
The Tar Heels have won 12 of 15 meetings with Syracuse since joining in the ACC.
North Carolina has taken significant steps forward defensively this season, something that Davis has pointed out to his team.
“They are playing elite defense,” he said. “They are taking the challenge of winning their individual one-on-one matchups, staying on script in terms of what we have talked about in preparation for each game, boxing out in the rebounds.”
In the Tar Heels’ 67-54 victory at North Carolina State on Wednesday night, the Wolfpack were held to 26.9-percent shooting from the field. That’s the fourth-lowest percentage all-time by a North Carolina opponent in ACC regular-season or tournament play.
“I felt like our guards did a really good job climbing into (NC State’s DJ Horne) and making each one of his shots difficult as well,” Davis said.
Even better for the Tar Heels is that their last two opponents — NC State and Clemson — have shot a combined 3-for-39 on 3-pointers. Syracuse is shooting 32.1 percent on 3s, making 6.8 per game.
On offense, guard RJ Davis averages 20.3 points per game.
Syracuse received 20 points from Chris Bell and Maliq Brown posted 10 of the team’s final 15 points in the Boston College game.
“We didn’t play our best offensive game, but I thought our defense was really good,” coach Adrian Autry said.
Syracuse leads the ACC in steals with 146 after recording 17 on Wednesday night.
Rebounding could become an issue against North Carolina because the Orange played this week’s first game without starting center Naheem McLeod, who was out with an injured right foot. Syracuse’s starting lineup also featured wJ.J. Starling on the court in place of Judah Mintz, who scored 10 points off the bench.
Mintz didn’t start because of what was described as a minor violation of team rules.
“Nothing serious, we have moved on,” Autry said. “I expect him to be ready to go Saturday. I expect him to be (starting vs. North Carolina).”
Without McLeod, Brown needed to be careful as the primary post player for the Orange.
“I was worried about the foul situation,” Autry said. “We got to keep everybody fresh.”
—Field Level Media
The North Carolina Tar Heels will be a young program across the board next season, with well over two dozen freshmen and numerous additions from the transfer portal this offseason. Expectations for the 2026 season are lowered dramatically after a disastrous first season for head coach Bill Belichick, though those expectations could help the Tar Heels fly under the radar.
As the Tar Heels approach the end of spring ball, it is time to look at the veterans of the team—the ones who have the experience to lead, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Let’s look at three underrated seniors for the 2026 football season.
Ade Willie, Cornerback
Willie joins the Tar Heels program after four years with Michigan State, as the former 4-star player in the 2022 recruiting class gets an opportunity to not only provide depth to the secondary, but potentially start Week 0 against TCU.
Willie played in over 30 games with the Spartans and brings experience in the secondary at cornerback and safety, along with quality length and closing speed to the football. For a defense that needs players to step up, the redshirt senior from IMG Academy will be asked to do so.
Isaiah Johnson, Defensive Lineman
The defensive line is beginning to look like one of the Tar Heels’ strengths for the 2026 season. Johnson, a former transfer from Arizona, enters his redshirt senior year looking to add another year of production after 40 tackles and two sacks this past season.
North Carolina has an impressive group of starters with Malkart Abou-Jaoude, Leroy Jackson, and incoming transfer Jaylen Harvey. Johnson adds value to the group as a run defender with the ability to penetrate the pocket. While not discussed as a key player, Johnson’s name will be used plenty during the regular season as a potential standout for the program’s defensive front.
Coleman Bryson, Safety
Bryson was a reserve player for the Tar Heels’ secondary last season as a big nickel defender in the rotation. Heading into his redshirt senior year, the former Minnesota Gopher is looking to become a full-time starter in the secondary.
It wasn’t long ago when Bryson was making plays as the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl Defensive MVP. His special teams abilities were valuable for North Carolina last season, and he flashed at times in coverage against tight ends, including a pass breakup in the season-opener against TCU. The Waynesville, North Carolina, native could be a key defender on the back-seven in 2026.
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Friends and family members gathered in Washington state on Saturday, remembering former Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett, who died on Easter Sunday. Another memorial service is planned in North Carolina next month.
Web Editor : Sydney Ross
Posted
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | First Quarter
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | Q1 8:19
After a faceoff win by Henry Metz, Brendan Millon finds Truitt Sunderland to give the Hoos a 3-0 lead. Timeout North Carolina.
Virginia 2, North Carolina 0 | Q1 9:00
Brendan Millon gets the scoring started for the Cavaliers with a question mark style goal. On the defensive end, Jake Marek opens the game with three early saves with his third save setting up a transition goal by Tommy Snyder.
Virginia vs North Carolina pregame notes
UVA owns a 59-33 advantage since the series began in 1938.
The 59 wins are UVA’s most against any opponent in program history (followed by 51 against Duke).
In Chapel Hill last year, the Tar Heels defeated the Cavaliers 18-9, snapping UVA’s six-game series win streak.
UVA has won nine of the last 11 meetings, dating back to 2018.
The Hoos have won the last two meetings with Carolina at Klöckner Stadium, 11-4 in 2022 and 14-6 in 2024.
The Tar Heels’ four goals in 2022 marked the fewest goals in a game under Joe Breschi, who was named UNC’s head coach in 2006.
The last time the Tar Heels knocked off the Cavaliers at Klöckner was a 16-13 decision during the first of three games between the two teams in 2021.
Later that year, UVA claimed back-to-back meetings against the Heels, including in the NCAA semifinals on the way to capturing the 2021 national title over Maryland.
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