North Carolina plays 1,000th ACC game, beats Syracuse 81-75

Updated Jan. 12, 2021 11:36 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Garrison Brooks and Armando Bacot each had a double-double, and North Carolina pulled away in the last three minutes to beat Syracuse 81-75 on Tuesday night.

The Tar Heels (8-4, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) became the first men’s basketball program to play 1,000 regular-season ACC games. The Tar Heels are 708-292 and have the most wins in ACC history.

Brooks scored 16 points and had 10 rebounds. Bacot had 15 points and 12 rebounds. Bacot has 14 double-doubles and 19 games with 10 or more rebounds. R.J. Davis added 12 points.

Quincy Guerrier had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Syracuse (7-3, 1-2). Buddy Boeheim added 18 points and Alan Griffin had 16.

Day’Ron Sharpe's two free throws gave the Tar Heels a 69-68 lead with 3:00 remaining. Consecutive layups from Bacot and another from Andrew Platek stretched their lead to 77-70 with 42 seconds left.

North Carolina is 14-5 against the Orange, winning 10 of the last 11. It was the Tar Heels’ first ACC game this season decided by more than five points.

UP NEXT

Syracuse: Is at Pittsburgh on Saturday.

North Carolina: Heads to Tallahassee, Florida to face Florida State on Saturday.

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