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 stretch for an exciting 83-76 victory.
Six Tar Heels scored in double figures for the game, with Justin Jackson scoring a team-high 16 points and point guard Joel Berry filling the stat sheet with 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
Both Jackson and Berry also played critical roles in the final four minutes, with the game’s outcome still in doubt.
UNC head coach Roy Williams had some strong words following his team’s victory over Notre Dame in Greensboro on Sunday. (Todd Melet)
After Notre Dame closed UNC’s lead to within two points on a three-pointer by VJ Beachem, Berry responded with a long jumper of his own on the very next possession.
Jackson was then the beneficiary of a Notre Dame turnover—finishing off a fast break the other way with a two-handed slam that might as well have been the Tar Heels’ way of marking their territory, both in Greensboro and atop the ACC standings.
For as much history as UNC has had in that building, though, head coach Roy Williams made his feelings about having to play there on Sunday loud and clear.
The coach even threw in a jab about HB2, the controversial law which has all but ruled out the state of North Carolina from hosting tournament games in the near future.
“I didn’t want to do this,” Williams said. “I like playing in the Smith Center. But I trust our people and they made a great decision.
“Right now, everything’s cool in Chapel Hill again,” he continued. “The restaurants are open, people can go to the bathroom, all kinds of stuff.
He then paused for a couple seconds, adding that, “You can go to any bathroom you want to in Chapel Hill too.”
Joel Berry made a critical jump shot late in the game as the Fighting Irish were threatening to it up. (Todd Melet)
It was the Tar Heels’ first game in Greensboro since losing to Notre Dame there in the 2015 ACC Tournament Final.
That only added to the frenzied environment on Sunday as two of the league’s heavyweights traded blows in their own signature styles.
The Fighting Irish sank nine three-pointers on 26 attempts, consistently deploying small lineups and zone defenses meant to create matchup advantages.
UNC, meanwhile, pounded the ball inside to Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks and Tony Bradley with great success—as the three big men combined to shoot 15-of-23 from the floor.
“They were really hard to guard,” Williams said. “We were hard for them to guard inside, but it’s a battle. We can try to get it inside and play to our advantage there, but they can spread us and drive and shoot threes and play to the advantage they have–because our big guys have to come out on the court.”
Meeks fouled out late in the game, but the freshman—Bradley—filled in admirably in a big-time situation.
He was one of two unheralded Tar Heels who left a lasting impression against the Fighting Irish, along with sophomore guard Kenny Williams.
Tony Bradley (right) stepped up admirably with Kennedy Meeks battling foul trouble all game long. (Todd Melet)
Bradley scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Williams scored in double figures for the first time in his last seven outings. The Virginia native was also responsible for half of UNC’s three-point total, as he chipped in a trio of three-pointers early in the game.
“Tony off the bench was big for us,” Williams told reporters. “And I’ll tell you somebody else who was big for us was Kenny Williams. Kenny’s been struggling shooting the ball, but 4-for-6 from the floor, 3-for-4 from the three-point line, three assists and no turnovers.
“I’ve always said it’s not just those five,” the coach said, referring to his starting lineup. “We had six guys in double figures.”
The balanced effort was the type that should have the Tar Heels feeling good as the season progresses. Having everyone click on all cylinders is a great recipe for tournament success, especially with the amount of experienced talent lining the UNC roster.
Winning this game in an environment similar to one they’ll see in March–against a team that’s proven to be a worthy opponent—is just the latest example of the Tar Heels’ ability to dig down deep when it matters most.
“ACC basketball’s always going to be emotional,” Williams said. “It’s down to the wire. There’s not many games decided, where people leave and try to get out to the parking lot early.”
Up Next:
UNC now has to get ready for its annual trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium, as the Tar Heels will face off against Duke on Thursday at 8 p.m.
Game Notes:
- It was the first time UNC had six players score in double figures since Nov. 22 in Maui against Oklahoma State.
- UNC out-rebounded the Fighting Irish by a margin of 44-25, including a 17-7 edge in offensive rebounds.
- The Tar Heels are 119-33 in Greensboro all-time, including 113-30 in the Greensboro Coliseum.
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