UNC senior forward Brice Johnson, along with the rest of the Tar Heel men’s basketball team, had a night to forget in Saturday’s loss to Texas.

But on Wednesday at the Dean Dome, Johnson scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the No. 11 Tar Heels improved to 8-2 this year with a 96-72 victory over the Tulane Green Wave.

After picking up three fouls in the first half against Texas, Johnson was rendered ineffective for most of the loss. Then he found out that his tag-team partner in the low post—junior Kennedy Meeks—would miss at least two weeks with a bruised left knee.

Isaiah Hicks poured in 11 points off the bench, despite not getting the start in place of the injured Kennedy Meeks. (Todd Melet)

Isaiah Hicks poured in 11 points off the bench, despite not getting the start in place of the injured Kennedy Meeks. (Todd Melet)

He responded by putting together his best game of the season on Wednesday, scoring his 25 points—including a pair of monster alley-oops in the first half– in just 25 minutes as the Tar Heels dropped the Green Wave to 6-5 this season.

“I do feel a little bit more pressure [with Meeks out],” Johnson said after the game. “Just because me and Kennedy are the starters and we do account for a lot of the rebounds. But at the same time, we do have a pretty good rotation of big guys.

“If one of us goes down,” he added. “We have guys that can back them up, and be able to come in and produce.”

Taking Meeks’ spot in the starting lineup was senior Joel James, who finished with four points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes of playing time.

This decision came despite expectations that junior Isaiah Hicks would get the nod instead.

Hicks looked explosive in the first half off the bench, though, and he finished with 11 points—including a couple big dunks of his own.

UNC head coach Roy Williams explained why he started James over Hicks in his postgame press conference.

“I knew I was gonna start Joel [James] because he’s a senior,” Williams said. “He deserved it, he’s done some good things. And also getting him a look.

“But I probably felt like Isaiah may even play more minutes even though Joel started,” the coach added.

“Isaiah does a better job guarding screens on the ball because he’s quicker, but Joel was a force in there defensively clogging the lane up and making a couple of big-time blocks for us too.”

Five other Tar Heels joined Johnson in double figures, including Hicks.

Joel Berry had 12 points and nine assists, Justin Jackson finished with 13 points and seven assists, and Marcus Paige scored 16 points while dishing out seven assists as well.

Theo Pinson also added 10 points.

All in all, the Tar Heels assisted on 30 of their 36 made shots in what Paige considered to be a total team effort.

Marcus Paige had 16 points and seven assists, as UNC assisted on 30 of its 36 made shots. (Todd Melet)

Marcus Paige had 16 points and seven assists, as UNC assisted on 30 of its 36 made shots. (Todd Melet)

“We always try to share the ball,” Paige said. We have a good offensive team. We haven’t struggled on that side of the ball, really all year. We got good post players that shoot and score efficiently. We got guards that can knock down shots and get in the paint and create.

“So there’s no reason the ball should stick.”

UNC led by 19 points at halftime, but Tulane—led by 18 points from guard Louis Dabney—cut the lead to 15 with just eight minutes remaining in the game.

But then the Tar Heels exploded on a 15-0 run behind a three-pointer from Berry and two more from Paige, who has now been back in the lineup for four games since missing time with a broken hand.

Now without Meeks for an extended period—including this weekend’s game in Brooklyn against No. 22 UCLA– Paige sees another chance for his team to grow even closer together.

“It’s just adversity,” Paige said. “Every team deals with it. It happens and it’s unfortunate. We’re hoping that we’ll get him back relatively quickly, so that’s a positive for us.

“We’re just trying to hold the ship until [Meeks] gets back.”

Photos from UNC vs. Tulane

Up Next:

A trip to New York awaits the Tar Heels, as they’ll meet up with head coach Steve Alford’s No. 22 UCLA Bruins in Brooklyn–the same team who handed previous No. 1 Kentucky its only loss of the season.

This is also the game UNC is supposed to break out its much-hyped wardrobe addition–the black, alternate jerseys.

Game Notes:

  • Johnson has six double-doubles in 10 games this year, and is the only Tar Heel to score in double figures in each game.
  • Four different Tar Heels (Berry, Jackson, Hicks, and Luke Maye) set or tied career-highs in assists.
  • The team’s 30 assists were the most by UNC since having 30 against East Tennessee State on Dec. 8, 2012.
  • Prior to the game, Tulane assistant coach Shammond Williams–UNC’s former all-time three-point leader–presented Paige–the school’s new three-point leader–with a ball honoring the achievement.

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