CHAPEL HILL – In our “3 Keys” piece advancing North Carolina’s game Saturday against Syracuse, one of them was for the Tar Heels to not relax, avoid the noon-start home game versus an unranked team that sometimes afflicts favored clubs in conference play.

The Orange has enough talent to beat quality teams, and the Heels appeared ripe for the picking coming off a three-game ACC road win streak that included the best stretch of defense from this program in years.