Needing an extra spark to try and rebound from Saturday’s blowout loss to Louisville, the 13th-ranked UNC men’s basketball team received some key contributions from its supporting cast in a 75-69 victory Tuesday night at the Dean Dome over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

In a back-and-forth game where neither team led by double digits until the final two minutes of regulation, the usual suspects did what they normally do to help UNC (13-4, 3-1 ACC) come out with the win.

Freshman point guard Coby White and senior forward Luke Maye, two of the team’s top three scorers this season, combined for 31 of UNC’s 75 points—17 from White and 14 from Maye while putting in solid all-around performances. The Tar Heels’ leading scorer on the season, Cameron Johnson, did the same–ending the night with 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Neither team shot better than 42 percent, but it was a welcome sight for head coach Roy Williams to finally see his team succeed without shooting the ball particularly well.

Coby White (2) and Luke Maye (far right) combined for 31 of UNC’s 75 points on Tuesday vs. Notre Dame. (AP Photo/ Gerry Broome)

“We won the game,” he told reporters afterwards. “And I got my wish. I wanted to win one ugly. We did that. Had a key stretch for about five or six minutes in the second half where they didn’t score and we outscored them 11-1 in that time period. That was big for us.”

What truly made the difference for UNC, however, was the effort put in by three players who come off the bench.

Junior guard Brandon Robinson helped the Tar Heel offense stay afloat in the first half by hitting all three of his attempts from three-point range, with his nine points coming just two short of tying his career high of 11.

Then early in the second half—a portion of the game where Notre Dame (11-6, 1-3 ACC) was in control of the lead—junior guard Seventh Woods and freshman wing Nassir Little made their presence felt as well.

Woods kicked things off with a thunderous chasedown block on Notre Dame’s Nate Laszewski, which turned into free throws on the other end that gave UNC back the lead and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

From there, Little threw down a pair of crowd-pleasing dunks and scored all of his 11 points in the final 11 minutes.

Despite all three players making crucial plays during the game, Williams singled out Little, the projected No. 3 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, as the most important factor in the win.

“His shot hasn’t been going in for him,” Williams said, of Little. “But he took it to the basket and made good plays. I think he was probably the key to the game.

Luke Maye’s 14 points and 10 rebounds against Notre Dame gave him his seventh double-double of the year for UNC. (AP Photo/ Gerry Broome)

“He had 11 points,” the coach continued. “And if I’m not mistaken, I didn’t even bring him in the first six minutes of the second half.”

For the Tar Heels, there were a number of positives to take away from the win.

Although the team didn’t score as efficiently as it normally does, it limited fouls and turnovers in a big way—and finally played good enough defense to make their coach happy.

UNC also got important contributions from its bench, while winning in a way that it has struggled to do so this season. That, more than anything else, is the major takeaway for this squad moving forward.

“I’ve said 100 times in the last 31 years, I like to win [scoring] in the 80’s, 90’s or 100’s,” Williams said. “But to be a good team, you’ve got to be able to win in the 50’s or 60’s.”

Up Next:

A road trip to South Florida awaits the Tar Heels this weekend, as they travel to face Miami on Saturday. That game is scheduled to tip off at noon.

Game Notes:

  • The 75 points scored by UNC were the least it has scored in a win so far this season.
  • UNC sophomore forward Sterling Manley missed his fifth consecutive game with a sore knee.
  • Prior to the game, head coach Roy Williams shared an embrace with outgoing UNC chancellor Carol Folt–a moment that was displayed on the arena’s video boards.

 

FINAL BOX SCORE

 

Cover photo via Gerry Broome (Associate Press)

Related Stories
‹
Pinson Helps No. 14 UNC Pull Away From Notre Dame Down the Stretch, Pick Up Third ACC Win in Five Days
It wasn’t as easy as the final score suggested Monday night at the Dean Smith Center, but the 14th-ranked Tar Heels managed to grind out a 83-66 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish—using a determined second-half performance from senior wing Theo Pinson to seal the deal. Pinson scored 14 of his 16 points in […]
Leaky Black's Floater in Final Seconds Lifts UNC to Victory Over Notre Dame
Junior guard Leaky Black hit a floater from the right side with just nine seconds remaining on Saturday at the Smith Center to lift the UNC men’s basketball team to a 66-65 victory over Notre Dame. Black’s shot snapped a two-game losing streak for the Tar Heels (6-4, 1-2 ACC) and gave a positive ending […]
A Star is Born: Cole Anthony's Incredible College Debut Carries No. 9 UNC to Season-Opening Win vs. Notre Dame
If there were any doubts about what kind of player freshman point guard Cole Anthony would be this year for UNC, they were all put to bed after Wednesday night’s season opener at the Dean Dome—as Anthony carried the ninth-ranked Tar Heels to a 76-65 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. With the move […]
Luck of the Tar Heels: No. 20 UNC Escapes South Bend With 69-68 Victory Over Notre Dame
It took a great deal of good fortune, but the 20th-ranked Tar Heels escaped the land of the Fighting Irish on Saturday with a 69-68 victory over Notre Dame–after guard TJ Gibbs missed a pair of shots around the rim in the final seconds. Needing to cover the length of the court with just over […]
Tar Heels Hammer Notre Dame 78-47, Advance to ACC Title Game vs. Virginia
After nailing his third three-pointer of the first half in Friday night’s ACC Tournament Semifinal against Notre Dame, UNC senior guard Marcus Paige said to himself, “I’m back.” His 16 points and seven assists then helped the No. 7 Tar Heels crush the Fighting Irish 78-47; a win so dominant it showed Paige isn’t the […]
No. 2 UNC Blows 15-Point Lead, Loses to Notre Dame
While shooting woes doomed the No. 2 UNC men’s basketball game in its loss to Louisville on Monday, another of last season’s critical issues—the inability to close out games—resurfaced in Saturday night’s 80-76 loss at Notre Dame. Despite building a 15-point lead in the first half, the Tar Heels slowly fell apart down the stretch […]
UNC's Big Men Step Up in ACC Tournament Win Over Notre Dame
Even with senior forward Garrison Brooks a late scratch for Wednesday night’s ACC Tournament action in Greensboro due to an ankle injury, the No. 6 seed UNC men’s basketball team dominated in the paint on the way to a 101-59 victory over No. 11 seed Notre Dame—earning a place in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Against […]
UNC Falls at Notre Dame Thanks to Another Three-Pointer in the Final Seconds, Losing Streak Hits Six Games
Another game, another excruciating loss for the UNC men’s basketball team, as the Tar Heels blew a 15-point second half lead before allowing Notre Dame to win 77-76 in South Bend after a three-pointer by Nate Laszewski with just two seconds remaining. The shot by Laszewski came from the left wing after Notre Dame (16-10, […]
UNC to Open 2019-20 Men's Basketball Season by Hosting Notre Dame on ACC Network
The ACC announced Friday that it will show four conference games at the beginning of next men’s basketball season on the brand new ACC Network, including UNC’s season opener on Wednesday, Nov. 6 against Notre Dame. That game against the Fighting Irish will be held at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill. Rather […]
No. 12 UNC Holds Off Notre Dame, Picks Up Win in Greensboro Coliseum
The emergency water shortage in Chapel Hill forced a pair of familiar foes—UNC and Notre Dame—into playing Sunday’s game at the Greensboro Coliseum. Home to the ACC Tournament for many years, the famed building added a tournament-like atmosphere to this midseason top 25 showdown, as 12th-ranked UNC held off the No. 20 Fighting Irish down the […]
›