The North Carolina Tar Heels are preparing for a matchup against Syracuse on Saturday night in the Final Four.

It will be the first time UNC is playing in a Final Four game since winning the national championship in 2009, so this will be the first Final Four experience for many of those associated with the Tar Heel program, including athletic director Bubba Cunningham.

Cunningham told WCHL’s Art Chansky in Houston that he is enjoying the lead up to tipoff on Saturday night.

“It’s absolutely fantastic,” Cunningham said. “But you know what makes it so great are the students. [Thursday] night we were at the salute dinner, and the four seniors of all the teams were there and Marcus was our representative.

“With Marcus and Brice and Joel, that senior class is truly what college athletics is all about.”

Cunningham said Paige’s speech at the salute dinner may not have been quite as emotional as his senior night speech – how could it be really? – but said that UNC is “a better place because Marcus attended.”

As far as the matchup with Syracuse on Saturday night, the third time the Tar Heels and Orange have played this season, Cunningham said he likes what he has seen from UNC so far in Houston and the preparation from head coach Roy Williams.

“These kids seem to be loose,” Cunningham said. “They seem to be playing at the best as they’ve played all year. You just kind of wait and see what happens.”

Cunningham said that this experience is great for the university as a whole.

“We also have the band and the cheerleaders and there’s so many students – we have over 700 students coming down for the game,” Cunningham said. “That’s what sports does; it bring communities together.

“This is another great example of what sport can do for a university.”

Cunningham said, even though the game is being played in Houston, he expects a large Tar Heel turnout.

“Every time we travel – and it doesn’t matter if it’s New York, Chicago, LA [or] Hawaii – fans turn out in Carolina blue,” Cunningham said. “It’s some of the fans that live in North Carolina and some fans live remotely and cheer on the Tar Heels. I expect the same thing here in Houston.”

Tar Heel fans everywhere will be tuning in Saturday night to see if Carolina can knock off Syracuse for the third time this season.

The winner of the game will take on the winner of the other semifinal between the two remaining No. 2 seeds Oklahoma and Villanova in the national championship game on Monday.

Tipoff between the Tar Heels and the Orange is scheduled for 8:49 Saturday night.

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Police Prepare for Potential Final Four Weekend Celebrations
Franklin Street is always the life of the party at UNC. After a win against Duke. On Halloween night. Or, if all goes well, after a national championship just a few days from now. Keeping people safe during a rush of Franklin Street is a tall task for Chapel Hill Police. But Captain Josh Mecimore […]
Art Chansky's Texas Roundup
The national sports spotlight is shining brightly on Houston, Texas, as the college basketball season is nearing another dramatic finish in the Final Four. The North Carolina Tar Heels are the only No. 1 seed left in the tournament with a matchup against Atlantic Coast Conference foe No. 10 Syracuse on Saturday night. The winner […]
Remembering Final Fours of Years Past
Final Fours can cause nightmares and daydreams. Just ask Phil Ford. Ford has a unique perspective on these Final Four trips. After a career as one of the best players in Carolina history, Ford was also part of trips deep into the NCAA Tournament as a member of the Tar Heel coaching staff. Ford says […]
Fans Send Tar Heels to Final Four
UNC fans gathered outside of the Dean E. Smith Center on Wednesday evening to wish the Tar Heels luck as they prepare to take on the No. 10 Syracuse Orange in the Final Four in Houston this weekend. The North Carolina Tar Heels are the only No. 1 seed remaining in the NCAA Tournament. https://twitter.com/averytrendel/status/715308215563587586 […]
UNC Women's Lacrosse in the 2026 National Championship: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Start Time
The UNC women’s lacrosse team will vie for its second consecutive national championship when it faces No. 1 overall seed Northwestern in the title game Sunday. The Wildcats dealt the Tar Heels their only loss of the 2026 season. If you aren’t traveling with the team, here’s how you can follow along at home: TV […]
Carolina Performing Arts Unveils Multi-Day Performance Festival for 'Campus and Downtown'
The Carolina Performing Arts festival, called “All. Together. Now.”, is set to debut Feb. 18-21, 2027 and take place every year.
UNC Reports More Than $17 Million in Direct Economic Impact from Savannah Bananas Visit
According to a release from UNC, the recent visit from the Savannah Bananas to Chapel Hill generated an estimated $17.1 million.
A Place to Connect and Heal: UNC Holds Annual Community Walk for Suicide Prevention
On Saturday, community members and college students alike met on UNC’s campus for a mile-long walk to destigmatize suicide prevention.
'Together is The Only Path Forward': Orange County's Habitat for Humanity Hosts Affordable Housing Summit
Amid a shortage of affordable housing – both locally and nationally – the Orange County chapter of Habitat for Humanity recently held a summit to discuss how leaders can collectively aim to better address the issue.
Chapel Hill Alerts Residents To Upcoming S. Columbia Road Closure
The Town of Chapel Hill announced that a section of S. Columbia St. will be closed as UNC conducts maintenance on its steam tunnel system.
›