Entering the NCAA Tournament as one of the favorites to win it all, the No. 1-seeded Tar Heels kept their national title quest alive Thursday night with an 83-67 win in Raleigh over the No. 16-seeded Florida Gulf Coast Eagles–a blowout that initially had the makings of a historic upset.

Top seeds were 124-0 in first round games coming into the day. UNC head coach Roy Williams had won 25 times in the first round without a loss.

However, Florida Gulf Coast closed the first half on a 22-11 run, trailing the Tar Heels just 41-40 at the break.

Brice Johnson nearly put up a triple double--with 18 points, seven rebounds and a career-high eight blocks. (Todd Melet)

Brice Johnson nearly put up a triple double–with 18 points, seven rebounds and a career-high eight blocks. (Todd Melet)

Talk that the Eagles had found a little extra luck on St. Patrick’s Day started to make the rounds.

The new-and-improved UNC defense that delivered an ACC title in Washington D.C. allowed the Atlantic Sun champions to shoot 60 percent in the first half. Not only that, Florida Gulf Coast outscored the Tar Heels in the paint 22-16 during that span, and outrebounded them 21-14.

But eventually, order was restored for Williams and his team.

“First half we didn’t play very well at all,” Williams said after the game. “It was one of the worst halves we’ve played all year long, but first ten minutes of the second half we were really, really good.”

Whatever halftime speech Williams gave provided the motivation needed to quickly lay waste to their overachieving opponents.

UNC opened the second half with a three-pointer by Marcus Paige, then went on a 27-8 run behind huge efforts from big men Brice Johnson and Isaiah Hicks.

The ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year, Hicks scored seven of his 12 points in the second half and contributed energy that was lacking in the opening period.

Johnson had 18 points and seven rebounds, but also sparked the team defensively with six of his career-high eight blocks coming over the final 20 minutes.

“We were very disappointed in the way that we played,” Johnson said. “You allow a team like that to shoot 60 percent in the first half—you can’t help but be mad about that. It was just an all-around frustrating game.”

“Guys had their heads down,” he continued, talking about the Tar Heels’ locker room at halftime. “It was a bad scene. We just had to get the bad taste out of our mouth and come out ready to play [in the second half.]”

Paige, Joel Berry, and Justin Jackson each joined Johnson and Hicks in double figures against a Florida Gulf Coast team that surprised many people watching with how athletic it was.

The Eagles were consistently able to beat the Tar Heels with quick ball movement and drives, despite only making two of its 11 three-point tries.

The Eagles presented a formidable challenge that was much more athletic than many expected. (Todd Melet)

The Eagles presented a formidable challenge that was much more athletic than many expected. (Todd Melet)

“We get so caught up in one or 16 or two and 15 and all that,” Williams said. “I just thought they were a really good basketball team.

“For a 16 seed, they had more size, more athleticism, and more inside scoring than you usually see.”

While it was by no means the best game the Tar Heels have played this season, the second half dominance showed there shouldn’t be any worries about the team moving forward.

As Williams noted after the game, it’s common knowledge around college basketball that a 16-seed has never won—something that likely spread apathy through the UNC locker room like wildfire.

“One versus 16 gets so much attention,” the coach said. “Perhaps there was a little stress, everybody thinking it was gonna be easy.”

With how unforgiving the NCAA Tournament is, and the number of upsets that happen on a daily basis this time of year—the only thing that really matters about Thursday’s game is that the Tar Heels won.

Whether it was by one point or 16, UNC is now only five wins from its ultimate goal.

“For us, we feel very good to still be here,” Williams said.

Up Next:

UNC will be back in action on Saturday, taking on the No. 9 seed Providence Friars.

Game Notes:

  • Roy Williams moved into second place in all-time NCAA Tournament wins with victory No. 66. He passed Dean Smith, who won 65 at UNC. Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is first with 89.
  • Williams has coached in 26 NCAA Tournaments. His teams have won at least one game in all 26 NCAA appearances, something no other coach has ever done.
  • Florida Gulf Coast’s 60 percent shooting in the first half was the highest percentage in a half by any UNC opponent this year (previous was .560 by Maryland in the first half on 12/1/15).
  • Johnson set a Carolina NCAA Tournament record with the eight blocks. Previous high was six by John Henson vs. LIU in 2011, Rasheed Wallace vs. Georgetown in 1995 and Warren Martin vs. Middle Tennessee State in 1985.

 

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