Kadary Richmond, Jesse Edwards play huge roles in Syracuse win over North Carolina (Donna Ditota’s quick hits) - syracuse.com

Syracuse Orange forward Marek Dolezaj (21) lays in a shot past North Carolina Tar Heels forward Walker Kessler (13) in a game between Syracuse and North Carolina at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse N.Y.

a stable of skilled big men from North Carolina.

(We’ll address the other first-half issue soon.) North Carolina has struggled -- really struggled -- to make 3-point shots this season.

And in the first half against the Orange.

Syracuse started the game 2-for-10, but then the Orange, in general, and Buddy Boeheim, in particular, heated up.

Syracuse needed -- really, really needed -- to make 3s against Carolina because of how much the Heels dominate inside.

And the Orange delivered a 7-for-17 first half from that distance.

SU outscored the Heels 24-6 from the 3-point line, even after going 1-for-10 in the second half.

UNC is the nation’s best offensive rebounding team, and that is not a good matchup for a team like Syracuse, which has struggled for years to end defensive possessions with a rebound.

North Carolina can’t shoot, but they can and do ferociously track down misses.

The Heels were careless with the ball and SU outscored them by a whopping 26-6 points off turnovers.

But Richmond limped off the court with 3:51 left in the game and sat on a chair with an icepack on his right knee.

His put-back of a Boeheim missed 3 gave him 12 points for the game and a reason to shout (we heard it on TV!).

He scored with 18 points, grabbed six rebounds.

He fouled out with 6:11 left, finishing with eight rebounds, six points and four steals.

UNC turned it over 10 times in the first half against SU and the Orange outscored the Heels 12-4 in points off turnovers.

He collected his fourth with 10:14 left in the game and had to take an SU seat.

He finished with eight points, five rebounds, five assists.

Armando Bacot had 18 points and 15 rebounds.

You grade the Orange: Rate Syracuse basketball’s performance vs.

North Carolina.