With the Washington Commanders examining potential quarterback upgrades this offseason, Sam Howell’s future is looking increasingly uncertain. There were clear flashes of brilliance during his first season as the team’s starter in 2023. The New York Jets have been named as a team to watch if the Commanders start taking calls on Howell. The insider believes he’d be an immediate upgrade over current backup Zach Wilson and could learn from Aaron Rodgers before eventually replacing him in the coming years. Please click here for more.

Here is when it really gets interesting with NIL. On Wednesday, the Overtime Elite League in Atlanta announced that four players have entered into an agreement with adidas to utilize their name-image-likeness as brand ambassadors. One of them is 6-5 shooting sensation and 5-star UNC signee Ian Jackson, who is from New York City but transferred to play his senior season for the eight-team Overtime schedule of games between the best 16-to-20-year-olds in America. Please click here for more.

A pair of former North Carolina Tar Heels could soon be immortalized in basketball history. Former UNC men’s basketball standouts Vince Carter and Walter Davis were selected along with 12 others as finalists for induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. Please click here for more.

The newcomers immediately made a difference for No. 15 North Carolina — from the freshman battery to two veteran position players — while the returnees flexed their offensive muscles in an impressive Opening Day victory. The mix of talent combined for a feel-good start to the Tar Heels’ season as they rolled to a 10–3 Friday win over Wagner at Boshamer Stadium. Please click here for more.

According to a shocking report, the University of North Carolina is exploring options to renovate the Dean Smith Center or build a new arena. Please click here for more.

Syracuse came out hot and stayed hot, shooting better than any team against North Carolina in nine years and the second best in 39 years, to beat the Tar Heels 86-79. (2/13)

Carolina managed to erase a nine-point second-half deficit to take a 65-64 lead with just over seven minutes to go after RJ Davis Euro-stepped through the lane for a bucket.

After a Syracuse timeout, the Orange had a tough time getting a shot off but J.J. Starling managed to throw up a 30-footer that banked in at the end of the shot clock to put the home team up 67-65. Carolina never caught up again.

“You’re not going to beat any team in the nation when they shoot 62 percent from the floor,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “Our defense didn’t play well enough to win the game.”

The Carolina defense wasn’t exactly bad but every Syracuse player on the floor was hitting contested shots. As a result, the Tar Heels led for only four minutes of the game.

“We just weren’t able to guard them one-on-one,” Coach Davis said. “In the first half we forced them to shoot contested twos but they were hitting them.”

Syracuse got the lead up to 10 in the first seven minutes of the game by hitting eight of their first 11 shots. They got leads up to 10 four different times in the first half before Carolina made a run.

Harrison Ingram, who was in foul trouble early, came back in late in the first half to hit back-to-back threes to put the Heels up 37-34. With less than three minutes left in the first half, Cormac Ryan drilled an open three from the left side to give the Heels their biggest lead at 40-36.

Starling, who later hit that wild 30-foot bank shot, scored twice in a row to provide Syracuse with a 42-all tie at the half.

Considering that Syracuse hit 63 percent in the first half – even better than the Orange did in the second half – the Heels were in a good spot with the score tied.

But, as it turned out, the Tar Heels lost the game in the first four minutes of the second half as Carolina failed to hit a field goal and were outscored 10-1. During the stretch, both Armando Bacot and Elliot Cadeau missed time after getting banged up on separate plays.

Syracuse, now 16-9 and 7-7 in the ACC, were led by Judah Mintz, who scored 25, and J.J. Starling, who scored 23.

The Tar Heels, who were led by Davis’ 19 points and Ryan’s 18 points, fall to 19-6 and 11-3 in the ACC with a game at home against Virginia Tech Saturday at 2 p.m.

For a box score and more on the game, please click here.