It didn’t take long for the 13th-ranked UNC men’s basketball to establish dominance Sunday afternoon at the Dean Dome against Tulane, as the Tar Heels built a 20-point lead in the first 10 minutes before cruising to a 97-73 blowout victory.
Once again, UNC’s veteran quartet of Joel Berry, Theo Pinson, Luke Maye and Kenny Williams combined to spark an impressive all-around performance— as the Tar Heels (8-1) shot 66 percent on one end while holding Tulane (6-2) to just 38 percent on the other.
Maye continued his All-American campaign with 22 points—his seventh 20-point effort in nine games this year—while also contributing 10 rebounds and a career-high four blocks on defense.
In addition to their suffocating defense on the perimeter, the backcourt duo of Berry and Williams chipped in 13 points apiece.
Junior forward Luke Maye led UNC with 22 points and 10 rebounds against Tulane, his fifth double-double of the young season. (Photo via Todd Melet)
Pinson, meanwhile, added nine points and a number of crowd-pleasing passes that also helped create easy baskets. The Greensboro native tied Maye with a team-high four assists–on a day where the chemistry between the Tar Heels’ top players was evident all game long.
“That’s where it comes from, when you just enjoy playing basketball with each other,” Pinson told reporters after the game. “You know if you pass them the ball and they score the basket, they’re gonna look out for you the next time if you’re open. Everybody trusts everybody on the team, so we just try to make the right play.”
As the balanced offensive attack sliced and diced its way to 62 points in the paint, the Tar Heels also put forth one of their best defensive performances of the season.
UNC only forced eight turnovers in the game, but rarely allowed Tulane to find easy shots.
The Green Wave converted on just 30 percent of its looks in the first half, which was the main reason the Tar Heels opened the game on a 21-4 run.
Melvin Frazier provided a spectacular highlight-reel dunk and 27 points for head coach Mike Dunleavy Sr., but the majority of Tulane’s offense—as per usual with UNC’s opponents–came from its 10 makes from behind the three-point line.
Tar Heel head coach Roy Williams credited his team for their increased effort on that end after the game, while still managing to throw in some constructive criticism to take into the future.
“I thought defensively in the first half, it was maybe our best defensive half of the year,” Williams said. “I thought we were more active.
Theo Pinson (left) has led the Tar Heels in assists six times in their nine games this season, serving as the catalyst for the team’s unselfishness. (Photo via Todd Melet)
“I think the one thing that we still gotta do is guard the ball better so we don’t have to help and give guys open threes.”
The prevailing feeling throughout the UNC locker room afterwards was a sense of fun. It’s obvious, as Pinson alluded to, how much fun this team has playing with one another.
That becomes so much more clear when you see their unselfishness on display—both through great passing and helping out with defensive assignments.
Having won an NCAA Championship and played in back-to-back Final Fours, Berry speaks for all the Tar Heel veterans when he describes how a game like Sunday’s–where everyone gets involved—can go a long way as the season progresses.
“If you win, that takes care of everybody,” Berry said. “I think we’ve learned over the last couple of years that it’s not about just one guy scoring the ball or not just about putting the ball in the basket in general.
“It’s about doing whatever you can to help this team,” he continued. “And I think that’s the greatest thing we have from the veterans. We understand it’s about winning, not about getting yours.”
Up Next:
UNC will remain in Chapel Hill this week, as it will host Western Carolina at the Smith Center on Wednesday, Dec. 6. That game is set to tip-off at 7 p.m.
Game Notes:
- Nine different players scored at least seven points for the Tar Heels against Tulane.
- The 52 first-half points scored by the Tar Heels represented their sixth 50-point half of the season. UNC shot 68.9 percent during the period, which was its highest shooting percentage in any half this year as well.
- Luke Maye now has five double-doubles so far this season for UNC, to go along with seven 20-point games.
- The Tar Heels are now 133-4 under Roy Williams when they score at least 90 points.
Cover photo via Todd Melet
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