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The Tar Heels won their first big test of leadership.
Basketball coaches always have goals within the goals, from the opening tip through the very end. Of course, they want to get an early lead and go on to win the game. If they fall behind, they may ask their teams to chip away and not try to get it all back at once. Or have the lead late and try to hold it.
Rick Barnes has been around a long time and knows how to handle every situation. For example, when his No. 10 Tennessee Volunteers fell behind hot-shooting Carolina by 24 points, he might have challenged them to “cut it to 10 by halftime.” When that didn’t work and they were still behind by double digits in the second half, Barnes might have said “cut it to 10 with 10 minutes left.”
Tough teams like Tennessee usually conjure up a comeback at some point. And when the Vols made it uncomfortably close, the Tar Heels had enough left in the tank to get it back to double figures and win, 100-92.
Here is a little pop quiz about No. 17 UNC improving its record to 6-1 with a first Quad 1 win of the season.
Did they move the ball, make unselfish passes and hit the resulting shots? Did they change defenses and make it hard for the Vols to score? Did Armando Bacot rediscover his total game? Above all, could they FINISH?
Carolina had 13 assists on 19 baskets in the first half and got good looks against one of the nation’s best defenses, knocking down seven 3-pointers behind Harrison Ingram’s three and R.J. Davis’ two, which led to a 61-39 lead.
Meanwhile, the Heels held UT to 1-for-12 from outside and had an 18-point advantage there. The Vols made an amazing 15 of 18 two pointers or their deficit would have been much greater at the break.
Bacot resurfaced with his third double-double of the season (22 and 11) and 71st of his career. Freshman Elliot Cadeau made his second straight start and had 10 assists, no turnovers, to help UNC’s passing game.
The Vols rallied to get the deficit under 10 points several times, but Davis had a driving layup and one of his five 3-pointers to bump the margin up and close out the game, which Hubert Davis’ team had trouble doing last season.
The loud sell-out crowd raised the roof several times during Carolina’s defensive stands. Tennessee used a full-court press for much of the second half and UNC cooled off from the floor, but the Heels still made five 3-pointers. R.J. Davis had a team-high 27 points, Ingram had 20 and Cormac Ryan sat out a long stretch with four fouls but still scored 15 points including two three balls. Eight Tar Heels played at least eight minutes.
There was an unfortunate turn for the Vols’ best player Dalton Knecht, who had scored 37 points when he left with a sprained ankle late in the game.
Featured image via Todd Melet
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