A 16-point first-half deficit proved too much for Carolina to overcome on Tuesday night, as Clemson fought off a Tar Heel comeback attempt to win 80-76in the Smith Center. UNC has lost two of its last three games and is now 18-5 overall and 10-2 in ACC play.
“Just didn’t play well enough,” said head coach Hubert Davis. “You really have to compliment Clemson and the way that they played. They’re a really good basketball team and extremely well-coached. They were deserving of winning tonight.”
The Tigers started out the game red hot, making seven of their first eight shots and building a 17-4 lead. By the time Carolina finally snapped out of its early-game funk, the Tar Heels were in a double-digit hole. Some dominant post play from Armando Bacot helped UNC stabilize, but Clemson stayed comfortably ahead and – despite back-to-back threes from R.J. Davis and Harrison Ingram to end the half – entered the locker room with a 43-34 lead.
“Coach Davis got after us on Sunday and Monday [in practice] for effort,” Bacot said. “Not following the small details is a part of effort. Making careless turnovers, not doing our principles defensively. Small things like that, it makes a difference in a game like this.”
Bacot also told reporters multiple players – “three or four of us” – were late to pregame warmups before tip-off. For his part, Hubert Davis said he had no knowledge of such an incident.
Carolina turned up the pressure in the second half, cutting the lead down to a possession multiple times but never quite edging in front. A Harrison Ingram three with 4:17 left tied the game at 70-70, the first tie since the score was 2-2 in the opening moments. But the Tar Heels couldn’t complete the comeback after that, committing consecutive turnovers as Clemson scored seven straight points. In fact, Carolina wouldn’t make another basket until R.J. Davis banked in a three with two seconds remaining, when the game was already decided.
“This is probably the first game where our energy wasn’t there,” Davis said. “Our effort wasn’t there at all, collectively as a team. It picked up a little in the second half… but it wasn’t consistent. Clemson, they came out ready to play. We’ve just gotta change our ways and our preparation leading up to games like this.
“We weren’t mentally prepared today. Our preparation wasn’t the best. I sensed that throughout the locker room.”
Bacot led the Tar Heels with 24 points and 13 rebounds. P.J. Hall and Joe Girard combined for 46 for the Tigers, who made 11 threes to keep Carolina at arm’s length.
On the injury front, sophomore guard Seth Trimble missed the game with what the program described as an upper-body injury. It’s the first game Trimble has missed this season. Hubert Davis offered no update on Trimble’s condition after the game. Carolina will be back in action on Saturday when it visits Miami at 4 p.m.
Featured image via Associated Press/Chris Seward
chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines