It was a Black Friday to forget for UNC fans, to put it lightly.

Mere minutes after the Carolina football team lost in double-overtime against NC State, the No. 1 men’s basketball team saw a late lead go up in smoke against Iowa State in the semifinals of the Phil Knight Invitational. The Tar Heels led by eight points with 5:43 remaining, but the Cyclones closed the evening on a 21-8 run to clinch the upset win, 70-65.

Carolina went without a field goal from the 3:55 mark in the second half to a buzzer-beating layup from Puff Johnson. It had little effect on the game, merely cutting a seven-point Cyclone lead to five at the horn. Iowa State senior guard Caleb Grill was as hot as his namesake all night, pouring in 31 points on 11-15 shooting (7-11 on threes) to fuel the Iowa State comeback. Grill’s final three tied the game at 61 and a two-point jumper on the next possession gave the Cyclones a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. A pair of Grill free throws were Iowa State’s final points of the night.

On the Carolina side, Armando Bacot, R.J. Davis and Caleb Love all finished in double figures, though Davis and Love combined to shoot just 9-28 from the floor. Bacot scored his 13 points on an efficient 5-6 shooting, but did commit a team-high five turnovers. The most critical one came with 1:22 on the second-half clock and UNC trailing 63-61. Iowa State stole the ball from the All-American big man and took a four-point lead on a pair of free throws.

The loss drops Carolina to 5-1 on the season after its first game against a Power 5 opponent. It also means UNC will go 0-for-2 in its first two forays into the Phil Knight Tournament, which to this point has been played every five years. The Tar Heels lost to Michigan State in the tournament championship during the 2017-18 season.

Next, they will play in the tournament’s third-place game on Sunday. That will come against either No. 20 Connecticut or No. 18 Alabama at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Maggie Hobson

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 biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
5-Star Recruit Demarcus Henry Announces Commitment to UNC Men's Basketball
Michael Malone has his first major recruiting win as UNC head coach. Demarcus Henry, a 6-foot-7 wing who 247Sports rates as a five-star prospect and a top five player in the recruiting class of 2027, announced his commitment to Malone and the Tar Heels Friday afternoon on ESPN. He chose the Tar Heels over offers […]
UNC Men's Basketball Outlasts Charlotte in Overtime in Preseason Exhibition
The Tar Heels will be glad Tuesday night’s game doesn’t count. But it provided several worrying signs, nonetheless. Charlotte led by as many as 15 points in the first half, then used a late run in the second half to erase a seven-point deficit to force overtime at the Smith Center. In the overtime, Carolina […]
UNC Men's Basketball vs. Charlotte (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time
UNC will wrap up its preseason schedule Tuesday night when it hosts Charlotte for a third and final exhibition game. UNC begins the regular season next Monday, Nov. 2. If you aren’t attending the game in person, here’s how to follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those hoping to listen on the radio can do […]
Former UNC Head Coach Hubert Davis Joining TNT as Analyst
Hubert Davis will be back on TV next month. Davis, who was fired as the UNC head coach in March, is joining TNT as a studio and game analyst for the 2026-27 college basketball season. According to Sports Business Journal, the deal is for multiple years. Davis’ first studio appearance is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. […]
This Week in UNC Sports: October 26-November 1, 2026
This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. The week of Halloween means several UNC sports will be wrapping up their […]
UNC Men's Basketball Unranked in 2026-27 Preseason AP Poll
Michael Malone’s Tar Heels will not be ranked at the outset of the 2026-27 season. The AP Top 25 preseason poll was published Monday morning, and UNC was not included. Florida reigns supreme at No. 1 in the poll, followed by No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Illinois, No. 4 UConn and No. 5 Arizona. Elsewhere […]
UNC Men's Basketball Blown Out vs. Indiana in Second Preseason Exhibition
UNC was outplayed on both ends of the floor against Indiana in the Tar Heels’ second exhibition of the preseason Sunday evening, and the Hoosiers won 76-58 in Indianapolis. Indiana flexed its muscles on the glass, outrebounding Carolina by a dominant 53-31 margin. The Hoosiers had more defensive rebounds (33) than UNC had in total. […]
UNC Men's Basketball vs. Indiana (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time
UNC will continue preseason action Sunday when it travels to Indianapolis to face Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers. If you aren’t making the trip with the team, here’s how you can follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those hoping to listen on the radio can do so at 97.9 FM and […]
UNC Men's Basketball Picked 5th in 2026-27 ACC Preseason Poll
UNC was picked fifth in the ACC men’s basketball preseason poll Monday afternoon. Two-time reigning conference champion Duke comes in at No. 1, taking home 45 of a possible 48 first-place votes. No. 2 Virginia, No. 3 Louisville and No. 4 Miami each followed with one first-place vote each. Below UNC, No. 6 Clemson, No. […]
This Week in UNC Sports: October 12-18
More and more of UNC's winter sports are beginning their seasons as we hit the middle of October, and "crossover season" is upon us.
›