Wasn’t it Al Davis of the old Oakland Raiders who coined, “Just win, baby!”
That’s exactly what our schizoid Tar Heels did in Blacksburg, using a formula that can only be described as “gumption and gifts.”
Gumption because the Heels bounced back from what looked like a disastrous home loss to lowly Pitt with their best win of the season, allowing them to cling to the NCAA tournament bubble.
The gift was Virginia Tech’s inexplicable shooting. The home Hokies threw every psychological doodad at Carolina – calling it their Senior Day when they still have one home date left and making it their “black-out” game with students and most fans wearing the dreaded dark.
It turned into a metaphor for shooting with their eyes closed.
Virginia Tech came into the game making 42 percent from the 3-point line, best in the ACC and second-best in the dad-gum nation. The Hokies hit just 2 of 12 threes (17 percent) in the first half to let 52 percent-shooting Carolina take control of the game. They finished with a season-low 19.2 percent, canning only 5 of the 26 treys upchucked. The 65-57 loss also marked their fewest points at the usually cantankerous Cassell Coliseum in 2021-22.
Carolina’s fast-closing first half and continued command of the backboards, combined with some near-flawless free throw shooting, allowed the Tar Heels to escape with their 19th victory of the season and reach 11 ACC wins (11-5) for the 36th time in their glorious history.
While Caleb Love will get the most hosannas for his finest all-around college game (21 points, 7 assists, 3 important bombs and 6-for-6 sealing free throws), the Heels led 38-30 at the break after what may have been the best first half ever by a player who failed to score.
Armando Bacot missed his only shot in the first 20 minutes but had 6 rebounds, 3 blocks and played determined defense in the paint. AB then scored 4 of his 10 points to open the second, when Carolina built its lead to 14 before the Heels’ own frigid shooting might have done them in. Bacot finished with his 20th double-double of the season, fourth-most in UNC annals.
So as the NCAA NET rankings change with nearly every game played everywhere, UNC might have actually notched its second Quad 1er, if Michigan keeps winning enough in the strong Big Ten to make the Wolverines’ December 1 defeat at the Smith Center more valuable than it has been so far.
Complicated for sure, but way more important is Carolina keeping Mr. Hyde in the closet, starting with the game against angry and improving Louisville tonight at 7 in the Dome of Dean.
Photo via Scott P. Yates/The Roanoke Times.
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