Unc Vs Syracuse: Veesaar Lifts No. 16 North Carolina to 77-64 Win in Syracuse
In a Saturday matchup headlined as Unc Vs Syracuse, No. 16 North Carolina beat Syracuse 77-64 in Syracuse, N. Y., with Henri Veesaar returning to the starting lineup and scoring 19 points. The result and surrounding events mattered for both teams’ ACC resumes and came with visible momentum swings and notable absences.
Unc Vs Syracuse: Game snapshot and final numbers
Final score: North Carolina 77, Syracuse 64. North Carolina improved to 21-6 overall and 9-5 in ACC play. Syracuse fell to 15-13 overall and 6-9 in the conference. The Tar Heels outscored the Orange 42-32 in the paint and scored 13 points off 10 Syracuse turnovers. Syracuse made just 3 of 17 attempts from 3-point range.
Veesaar's return shifted the interior game
Henri Veesaar returned to the starting lineup and finished with 19 points. The 7-foot center, who averages 16. 4 points and 9. 0 rebounds for the Tar Heels, had missed the Tar Heels’ past two games, most recently Tuesday’s 24-point loss at N. C. State. Veesaar’s presence helped North Carolina dominate the paint margin and offered a reliable scoring option when the Orange tightened their defense.
North Carolina supporting cast and lineup notes
Seth Trimble and Luka Bogavac each contributed 13 points, while Zayden High added nine for North Carolina. The Tar Heels were without Caleb Wilson, their leading scorer at 19. 8 points per game, who missed his third straight game with a hand injury. North Carolina’s balanced scoring and interior advantage were decisive after key momentum swings late in the first half and early in the second.
Syracuse response: Starling and Kyle highlight the effort
J. J. Starling led Syracuse with 22 points, including a 14-point second-half surge. William Kyle III pulled down eight rebounds and made a sequence that briefly swung momentum: he stole the ball and went coast-to-coast for a slam to tie the game at 44 with 12 minutes to go. After that play, North Carolina responded with an 8-0 run that Syracuse could not overcome.
Turning point and late-game control
Starling opened the second half with six straight points for Syracuse to start a comeback attempt, and Kyle’s coast-to-coast dunk tied the game at 44 with 12 minutes remaining. The Tar Heels then went on an 8-0 run to take control; Trimble scored four of those eight points. Syracuse did not get closer than seven points the rest of the way, and North Carolina maintained the margin through the finish.
Context, reaction and next steps
Rapid reactions to the game were compiled in a piece titled "Lucas: Syracuse Rapid Reactions, " published Feb. 21, 2026 and authored by Adam Lucas. That coverage captured immediate takeaways and responses in the wake of the game. For North Carolina, the return of Veesaar and production from Trimble and Bogavac provide positive signs as the team looks to sustain its ACC standing. For Syracuse, the loss continued a challenging stretch—Syracuse has lost four of its past six games—with concerns about perimeter shooting (3-for-17 from 3) and limited ability to close out a late run.
Details in this recap are drawn from the game in Syracuse, N. Y., on Feb. 21, 2026. Further developments or official injury updates may evolve after this summary.
