The No. 16 UNC Tar Heels take on the Syracuse Orange in Syracuse, New York. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET on ABC.
Syracuse is favored by 1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -130. The total is set at 153.5 points.
Here’s my UNC vs. Syracuse predictions and college basketball picks for February 21, 2026.
UNC vs. Syracuse Odds, Spread, Pick
| UNC Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -108 | 153.5 -112 / -108 | +110 |
| Syracuse Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -112 | 153.5 -112 / -108 | -130 |
My Pick: Syracuse ML +122 (Play to +110)
My UNC vs Syracuse best bet is on the Orange to win outright. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
UNC vs Syracuse NCAAB Picks for Saturday
UNC Basketball Preview
UNC has really struggled with injuries over the last couple of weeks. Just two short weeks ago, the Heels hit a game-winning shot to beat Duke on their home floor. Since that time, UNC has dropped two of its last three.
Injuries have really set in at an unfortunate time, as UNC is in danger of dropping out of the top 25 with Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar out of the fold.
This is a tough trip for the Heels on the road, especially with three home games coming up against stronger opponents. So, I'll be eager to see how UNC overcomes the adversity of missing two of its key players.
The offense has really struggled without Wilson and Veesaar, and those struggles have been magnified in two recent road losses. Zayden High and Derek Dixon have been called on to take on more within the offense, alongside Seth Trimble, who averages 13.3 points per contest.
Luka Bogavac scores 9.8 points per game, but UNC is going to have to find some offense from elsewhere without its two elite big men.
Defensively, UNC has struggled defending the outside shot, as the Tar Heels have the worst 3-point defense in the ACC. The defense doesn't provide a ton of pressure on the ball and doesn’t force a ton of turnovers.
Without Veesaar and Wilson in the lineup, UNC loses a good amount of its rebounding production, which is something to watch against Syracuse.
Syracuse Basketball Preview
Syracuse has lost seven of its last 10 games and now its season hangs in the balance. The Orange sit at 15-12 overall and 6-8 in ACC play, and they're going to have to win out and make a run in the ACC Tournament to have any chance of reaching the NCAA Tournament. In other words, every game from here on out has to be played with desperation.
This is a team that has talent and can be dangerous, as it took Houston to the wire and defeated Tennessee earlier this season.
The offense is lead by Donnie Freeman, who averages 17.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. J.J. Starling and Nate Kingz each average a dozen points per contest, and Naithan George is putting up 10.5 points. In total, the Orange are averaging 76 points per night.
George has full control of the offense, and he's accumulated double-digit assists three times in conference play. Cuse wants to get the ball into the paint to finish at the rim, but it's struggled against some of the top teams in conference play at finding good looks from in close.
I'll be interested to see how this offense performs against a depleted UNC squad.
The defense has been roughed up in conference play, as this isn't the feared Syracuse unit of old. Rebounding has been a struggle and the Orange haven't done well to avoid fouling consistently enough.
The Cuse do protect the rim well, though, ranking second in the ACC in blocked or altered shots.
UNC vs Syracuse Betting Analysis
This line opened Syracuse +3.5 and has been swiftly bet down. The total sits at 154.5. DraftKings has the moneyline set at +120 for Syracuse, and that's what I'm going to play.
UNC is really going to struggle on the road without Wilson and Veesaar in the fold. The offense isn't the same without these players in the lineup, as UNC has made just 22 out of 85 triples in its last three games.
Syracuse does a decent job defending from outside, and I don’t foresee UNC getting a ton of good looks inside. If the outside shots aren’t falling, this could be trouble for the Heels.
Syracuse is going to be able to get Freeman some good looks, and UNC could have a difficult time containing him. Kingz and Starling are both capable of scoring 20 or more points, and this is clearly Syracuse's best remaining chance to secure a massive home win.
The Orange are in a clear desperation situation trying to save its season, and I think it wins this game outright.
My Pick: Syracuse ML +120 (Play to +110)
