No. 2 Syracuse 57, North Carolina 45: C.J. Fair scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Orange shook off a slow start and rolled over the visiting Tar Heels before 32,121.

Jerami Grant recorded 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds while Trevor Cooney contributed 10 points and five steals for Syracuse (16-0, 3-0 ACC). Freshman point guard Tyler Ennis added 10 points and seven assists for the Orange, who forced 14 turnovers and held North Carolina almost 33 points below its average..

Marcus Paige had 17 points to pace the Tar Heels (10-6, 0-3), who matched their worst start in ACC play in 1996-97. James Michael McAdoo chipped in with 15 points and nine rebounds for North Carolina, which made only 2-of-12 of its 3-point attempts.

McAdoo helped the Tar Heels to an early six-point advantage and North Carolina led by four before Syracuse ran off 21 of the next 24 points. Grant finished with 12 points in the first half and Fair had 11 while the Orange held the Tar Heels to 0-of-8 from 3-point range for a 34-22 edge at the intermission.

North Carolina closed within 10 to start the second half, but Cooney drained a 3-pointer to begin an 8-0 run and Syracuse was on its way in the first ACC meeting between the two teams. The Orange finished with a 41-35 edge on the boards, including 17 on the offensive end.

GAME NOTEBOOK: North Carolina played only its second game against Syracuse (the other meeting came in 1983) at the Carrier Dome and its 10th overall in Syracuse, posting a 7-1 mark in the NCAA Tournament. … Syracuse had a season-high nine blocks, led by four from Rakeem Christmas. … Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has 936 career wins and North Carolina’s Roy Williams 710 – both in the top four among active Division I coaches.