UNC forward Luke Maye combined with point guard Joel Berry to score 46 of UNC’s 69 points against Virginia Tech. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
What was that in Blacksburg, Virginia?
I hesitate to call Carolina’s 80-69 loss a game, because it sure did not resemble one to me. It looked like a good, well-coached team playing against a team that didn’t know how to play or want to be there in the first place.
Look, losing is one thing and losing on the road in the ACC is no great shame. But when your tenth-ranked team is favored and then gets completely embarrassed by the underdog, you have to ask what the heck happened.
It appeared the Tar Heels thought it would be easy in the first half when they built a lead of seven points and then were outscored 18-4 over the last six and a half minutes. In the second half, when a couple of rallies were erased by the Hokies, the Heels looked like they packed it in for the ride home.
Roy Williams said they lacked urgency, which is massive understatement. They were beaten down the court time after time by the hustling home team and repeatedly failed to cover or get their hands up against Tech’s outside shooters. The nation’s leading rebounding team let a smaller opponent beat them on the boards and get as many offensive rebounds.
Luke Maye and Joel Berry each had 23 points, scoring 46 of the team’s 69. Everyone else who got on the court scored a total of eight baskets. Berry and Maye are good but neither is fast and athletic enough to take over a game.
Kenny Williams and Cam Johnson continued their streak shooting, making 2 of 15 and 1 of 10 from three-point range. The Hokies, who had beaten only Pitt and Wake Forest in ACC games, played far superior defense and moved the ball on offense like Carolina teams usually do, with three scoring in double figures.
Williams’ body language on the bench showed such disgust in the second half that the clock couldn’t have run out any sooner than it did and he could get off the court. I said early Monday it was a trap game for the Heels, and they got trapped by their own lackadaisical, lousy play more than by Virginia Tech.
Sure, it was a short turnaround from beating Georgia Tech Saturday, but these are college kids who have the privilege of playing basketball for Carolina. They don’t owe us victories, but they surely do owe their fans a better effort and more expertise doing whatever that was supposed to be Monday night.
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I like the “kids”. Joel and Luke are winners. But the “team” just doesn’t have it this year. Bigs are very disappointing.
. You need to take an honest look at this team. Outside of Maye and Berry they are not very good.