Caleb Wilson Shines, But Tar Heels Nearly Let One Slip Ahead of Duke Showdown
With the first clash of the season against Duke looming large on Saturday, North Carolina had one job Monday night against Syracuse: take care of business, stay healthy, and don’t get caught looking ahead. For most of the night, the Tar Heels checked those boxes. Then the final seven minutes happened.
UNC built a massive lead-at one point up by more than 30-and looked like they were on cruise control. But a late-game lapse nearly turned a routine win into a full-blown meltdown.
Syracuse capitalized on a string of sloppy possessions and lackluster defense to storm back into the game, cutting the deficit to a far more uncomfortable margin. Still, the Tar Heels held on for an 87-77 win, even if the finish left plenty of room for frustration.
The good news? Caleb Wilson continues to look like the real deal.
The freshman phenom led the team with 22 points on 6-of-14 shooting, grabbed nine boards, and added an assist and a steal. His fingerprints were all over the game’s most important stretches.
Wilson set the tone early, scoring Carolina’s first six points and finishing the first half with 13, including a solid 5-for-6 showing at the free-throw line. His early aggression helped the Tar Heels establish rhythm, and even when Syracuse kept things close for much of the first half, Wilson’s steady presence allowed UNC to weather the push and build a double-digit halftime lead.
Coming out of the break, Wilson wasted no time getting back to work. He scored six of Carolina’s first eight points in the second half, sparking a run that ballooned the lead from 14 to 20 in under four minutes.
By the midway point of the half, the Tar Heels had stretched the gap to nearly 30. For a while, it looked like the rest of the night would be a formality.
Then came the unraveling.
With the reserves on the floor, UNC’s intensity dropped, and Syracuse pounced. The Orange rattled off a massive run, forcing the starters-including Wilson-back into the game to steady the ship. And while the final margin stayed in double digits, the closing stretch was far too tense for a game that once looked like a blowout.
Wilson, to his credit, wasn’t the problem. His +20 plus/minus led the team by a wide margin, and he remained a stabilizing force even as the game threatened to spiral. If anything, his presence highlighted just how much UNC relies on him already-and how quickly things can slip when he’s not on the floor.
The Tar Heels can’t afford a repeat performance this weekend. Duke won’t let them off the hook the way Syracuse did.
But Monday’s game served as both a warning and a reminder: when Caleb Wilson is locked in, Carolina can look elite. When they take their foot off the gas, they’re vulnerable-no matter how big the lead.
For now, the Tar Heels escape with a win and a few lessons to carry into Saturday. And if Wilson keeps playing like this, UNC fans have every reason to feel optimistic heading into the heart of ACC play.