For the fourth time in its last five games, the 16th-ranked UNC men’s basketball team found itself trailing by double digits in the first half on Saturday afternoon against NC Central.

The Tar Heels managed to pull it together, though, as they rallied to defeat the Eagles by a score of 73-67–snapping what had been a two-game losing streak.

With both programs dealing with postponements this weekend due to COVID-19 protocols at Elon and Vanderbilt, this game was scheduled just days in advance.

It showed early on for the Tar Heels (4-2), who fell behind 19-8 midway through the first half thanks to some lackluster offense.

Turnovers and perimeter shooting were once again major problem areas. UNC gave the ball away nine times in the first half, while missing all seven of its attempts from three-point range.

Sophomore forward Armando Bacot–who finished with a team-high 19 points and 11 rebounds–carried UNC in the early going, accounting for 15 of the Tar Heels’ 30 points before halftime.

Constant trips to the free throw line also played a big role in letting UNC hang around, before the Tar Heels closed the first half on a 16-5 run.

Leading 30-28 at halftime, the Tar Heels struggled to build much on that margin until back-to-back three-pointers by senior guard Andrew Platek put the team ahead by 13 with nine and a half minutes remaining. Those were also the only two three-pointers UNC made throughout the entire game.

From there, the Tar Heels held onto that double-digit margin until the final two minutes, when the Eagles (1-3) used a 9-0 run to give the game its final score.

Up Next:

The Tar Heels head to Cleveland for their next game on Saturday, Dec. 19 against Ohio State as part of the annual CBS Sports Classic. That game is scheduled to tip-off at 2 p.m.

Game Notes:

  • NC Central didn’t have a single free throw attempt until there was under 12 minutes remaining in the second half. The Eagles finished the day 7-for-8 at the charity stripe.
  • Of UNC’s 30 first-half points, 12 came at the free throw line.
  • Caleb Love (12 points) and Andrew Platek (11) were the only other Tar Heels to join Bacot in double figures.
  • The Tar Heels have turned the ball over at least 18 times in four of their last five games.

 

 

FINAL BOX SCORE

 

Photo via Ethan Hyman

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