The 13th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels ran their win streak to six using a strong second half to surge past the Syracuse Orange 93-83 on Monday night in Chapel Hill.

Marcus Paige led a well balanced UNC attack with 22 points and 8 assists, followed by 17-points-apiece from Nate Britt, Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson as the Tar Heels poured in 58 second-half points. As a team, they shot better than 55% for the game and over 60% in the final 20 minutes.

After keeping pace for three-quarters of the game - and, in fact, leading 40-35 at the half - fatigue seemed to catch up with the Orange (14-7, 5-3 ACC).

Four starters - Rakeem Christmas, Trevor Cooney, Michael Gbinije and Tyler Roberson - played all 40 minutes of Saturday's close and fast-paced loss to Miami at the Carrier Dome.

On Monday, Christmas and Cooney again played all forty, Gbinije logged 38 and Roberson was on the floor for 35, but would have played more had he not fouled out in the closing minutes.

Before seeming to run out of gas, Cooney tied a season high with 28 points (10-26 FGs, 4-13 from 3-point range) and Christmas added 22, including 10-10 from the free-throw line.

Despite turning the ball over 20 times, North Carolina (17-4, 7-1 ACC) won the rebound battle 42-27, including 11 offensive boards.

The Tar Heels play at tenth-ranked Louisville on Saturday.

The Orange are off until next Tuesday (Feb. 3) when they host Virginia Tech.

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