It was a great win that would have been a far worse loss.
The game at Louisville had everything college basketball can offer and a few things you never want to see. The Tar Heels literally battled to their fourth straight victory to climb within a half-game of first place in the ACC.
Until midway through the second half, Carolina was the superior team in talent, effort and execution. Then the Heels lost their composure and very nearly lost the game in regulation before winning in overtime.
In some ways, these Heels are considerably better than the team that stumbled through much of November, December and January. But on the first day of February, a thinner squad due to personnel losses played an inspired game in a hostile arena until a certain victory almost slipped away.
Leading by 10 points midway through the second half, Carolina went scoreless for more than four minutes as the Cardinals caught up and went ahead by four. This was mostly a self-inflicted meltdown of what Hubert Davis called “turnovers and shot selection” as the game turned frantic while his team needed to keep its cool and catch its breath.
Missing seven shots, mostly hurried outside heaves, forced driving layups and one dunk, the Heels also became careless with the ball when they should have been taking their sweet time to keep the crowd out of it and take the pressure off their starters who played all but 21 of the 225 minutes.
That they got the game into overtime after almost giving it away was a testament to their once-questioned toughness and dramatic shots from each of the first five who all scored in double figures. Brady Manek’s baskets after offensive rebounds, R.J. Davis’ clutch jumpers and Leaky Black’s third 3-pointer on a night when the defensive specialist made every shot he took were all key.
Carolina played three subs sparingly and all went scoreless compared to Louisville’s 44 points off the bench. Taking away Caleb Love’s 3-for-18, the team shot 28-of-53 from the floor and 11-of-20 from the 3-point line. But it was Love’s only long ball that got overtime started and Black’s trey that provided the team’s last lead before all hell broke loose under the basket.
Armando Bacot fought relentlessly for his 22 rebounds while playing most of the second half in deep foul trouble and sealing the win with a free throw. With Duke up next at home, it avoided the worst possible prelude.
Photo via AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley.
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