'Cuse Welcomes North Carolina Saturday

#7 Syracuse (7-3, 1-3 ACC) vs. #4 North Carolina (9-2, 2-2 ACC)
Details	Saturday, April 12 \| Syracuse, N.Y. \| 6 p.m. Carrier Dome \| Tickets \| Weather
Game Coverage	TV: ESPNU \| Radio: WTKW 99.5 FM (Syracuse) CuseTV: Listen \| Live Stats \| WatchESPN.com: Video Twitter: @Cuse, @SUMensLax
Syracuse Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats \| Notes \| Guide
North Carolina Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats \| Notes \| Guide

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 7 Syracuse (7-3, 1-3 ACC) rekindles what once was a fierce rivalry with North Carolina (9-2, 2-2 ACC) when it hosts the fourth-ranked Tar Heels in its ACC regular-season finale Saturday, April 12 at 6 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. Saturday's game is the first regular-season meeting between the two lacrosse powerhouses in 20 years. Overall, the Orange last played the Tar Heels in the 1996 NCAA Tournament.

The Orange has won three games in a row. Syracuse topped Cornell Tuesday, 14-9, in its most recent outing. The Tar Heels have won four straight since a 9-8 overtime setback at Duke on March 15. Last weekend, UNC beat Virginia 11-10 on a late goal by R.G. Keenan.

Saturday's night's tilt is the second half of a Syracuse-North Carolina lacrosse doubleheader. Gary Gait's third-ranked Orange women's squad hosts the No. 1-ranked Tar Heels at 3 p.m. Tickets are for $5 for the women's game. Fans who enter the Carrier Dome after halftime of the women's game will be charged for a men's ticket ($10). Parking for the men's game is $15.

ACC SPORTSMANSHIP WEEK
The week of April 7 through April 13 is the ACC's Spring Sportsmanship Week. Established in 2010, ACC Sportsmanship Week is a campaign to emphasize sportsmanship among conference teams and fans. Prior to opening faceoff, Syracuse and North Carolina will show their dedication to good sportsmanship with a pre-game handshake.

In the 2013-14 academic year, three weeks were tabbed ACC Sportsmanship Weeks: Oct. 28-Nov. 3 (fall), Jan. 20-26 (winter) and April 7-13 (spring).

A WIN AGAINST CAROLINA WOULD …
… Be the program's 854th victory, second all-time behind Hopkins (939).
… Improve SU's record to 93-23 since the start of the 2008 season.
… Be John Desko's 195th career coaching win.
… Mark SU's fourth straight win against the Tar Heels, tied for the longest winning streak in the series by either team.
… Make the Orange 7-2 versus UNC in games played in Syracuse
… Be Syracuse's fifth win this year against a top-10 opponent.
… Keep the Orange in the hunt for a berth in the ACC Tournament.

STAATS STANDS OUT
Junior Randy Staats turned in a breakout performance in the Orange's 14-9 road win Tuesday at Cornell. He tallied a career-high nine points in the contest, tying his personal best with five goals and dishing out a career-high four assists. Staats scored five straight Syracuse goals from the 5:18 mark of the third quarter to the 6:50 mark of the fourth to turn an 8-6 SU lead into a 13-7 advantage.

Overall, Staats has 33 points (18 goals, 15 assists) in eight games this season and ranks fourth in the ACC in scoring (4.12 ppg).

RICE HITS THE CENTURY MARK
Lost amid Staats' big night was the face that junior Kevin Rice reached the 100-point mark for his career against the Big Red. Rice scored three goals and had four assists in the contest. His seven-point showing gives him an even 100 points (43 goals, 57 assists) in 36 career games. Rice leads the Orange in scoring this year with 42 points on 19 goals and 23 assists.

SCOUTING THE TAR HEELS
North Carolina ranks in the top 10 nationally in both scoring offense and defense. The Tar Heels are third in goals per game (14.27) and sixth in goals allowed (7.73 per contest).

Preseason All-ACC attackman Joey Sankey leads the UNC offense. He tops the team's list in goals (27), assists (20) and points (47). Sankey's flanked by two 20-point scorers in Pat Foster (15 goals, 14 assists) and Jimmy Bitter (19 goals, seven assists). Chad Tutton (15 goals, three assists) is Carolina's top midfield threat.

The difference for this year's Tar Heels has been the play of their defense. UNC is allowing a full two goals less than last season. Goalie Kieran Burke is eighth in the country in goals-against average (7.93) and ninth in save percentage (.569). The Tar Heels also boast two talented short-stick defensive midfielders in Ryan Creighton (nine goals, nine caused turnovers) and Mark McNeil (25 ground balls, two caused turnovers).

Head coach Joe Breschi is in his sixth year at North Carolina. He is 68-27 with the Tar Heels. Overall, Breschi holds a 160-90 record which includes an 11-year stint as the head coach at Ohio State. A two-time ACC Coach of the Year honoree, Breschi guided the Tar Heels to the conference title in 2013.

THE NORTH CAROLINA SERIES
SU is 11-6 all-time against North Carolina and holds a 6-2 advantage in games played in Syracuse. The two teams played every year in the regular season from 1984 to 1994.

Six meetings have come in the NCAA Tournament with Syracuse winning four, including a 13-12 victory in the 1993 NCAA title game. Matt Riter scored the deciding goal with eight seconds left in the contest to deliver the Orange its fifth NCAA national championship. In the 1991 NCAA semifinals, UNC became the first team to beat the Orange in a playoff game at the Carrier Dome. The Tar Heels won 19-13 to stop SU's 13-game NCAA Dome winning streak.

Syracuse has won the last three pairings. The Orange knocked off the Tar Heels the last time the schools played, 19-12, in the quarterfinal round of the 1996 NCAA Tournament.

UP NEXT ...
The Orange will try to win back the Kraus-Simmons Trophy when it travels to Geneva, N.Y. for its annual grudge match with Hobart on Saturday, April 19. The Statesmen beat Syracuse at the Dome last season, 13-12.

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