Make it 59 consecutive wins over Clemson in Chapel Hill for the 15th-ranked Tar Heels, who nearly let a 15-point halftime lead slip away before closing out the No. 20 Tigers by a score of 87-79.
The entire UNC starting five scored in double figures as the Tar Heels were unconscious from three-point range for most of the game—knocking down a whopping 15 of their 31 shots from beyond the arc.
Graduate transfer Cameron Johnson was responsible for six of those on the way to a team-high 21 points.
Senior point guard Joel Berry knocked down all four of his three-pointers in the second half—while also scoring 14 of his 17 points in the final period—as he helped UNC weather a ferocious comeback attempt from the visitors.
Junior forward Luke Maye scored nine of his 11 points in the second half for UNC–after receiving five stitches in the side of his nose. (Todd Melet)
After missing its first shot attempt of the second half, Clemson then caught fire and made its next 15 to quickly increase the pressure of maintaining the streak onto the Tar Heels (15-4, 4-2 ACC).
On four occasions, Clemson (15-3, 4-2 ACC) fought back to make it a one-possession game—but either Johnson, Berry or junior forward Luke Maye scored for UNC on the ensuing possession each time, which allowed the Tar Heels to pull back away over the final five minutes.
“We’re competitive,” Berry told reporters asking about the importance of the streak. “We just didn’t want that to happen tonight. It kind of pissed us off when we got back from a road game and Coach told us that Clemson had requested more tickets than ever.
“They thought they were going to come in and beat us,” he continued. “So that kind of ticked us off a little bit, and it’s why we had so much energy tonight.”
It was the latest game to go down to the wire for UNC, a team that has become familiar with tight finishes this season.
Coming off a win at Notre Dame where a lucky bounce off the rim decided the outcome, this one at least required the Tar Heels to make a number of tough shots down the stretch.
Although Clemson shot 61 percent from the field in the second half, UNC managed to put together a 65 percent mark over the same time frame—with nine of its 13 made shots coming from three-point land.
This includes a pair of threes from Maye, who fought back valiantly after missing the start of the second half due to catching an elbow from teammate Kenny Williams on the way up for a rebound. He ultimately received five stitches on the side of his nose and got back in the game, of course, personifying the toughness this team has shown in crunch time throughout this season.
Cameron Johnson’s 21 points and six three-pointers were the most he’s had since transferring to UNC in the offseason. (Todd Melet)
For Maye, keeping the home streak against Clemson going was nowhere near as important as some of the other games he’s been a part of at UNC.
“Our group is battle-tested,” Maye said. “We’ve been through a lot of tough games and we have four guys who have played in two Final Fours.
“Just to have that kind of leadership is huge for us,” Maye added. “I think we handled it great and made shots down the stretch.”
The Tar Heels are beginning to make a climb up the ACC standings now with three wins in a row—and have definitely made some major progress closing out games.
Still, though, head coach Roy Williams sees plenty of room for this team to grow.
It’s not often that a coach gets excited when seeing his team commit 14 turnovers and nearly allowing a big halftime lead to evaporate at home.
At the end of the day, however, the result is what it is.
“We’re a work in progress, or in process, or whatever you want to call that,” Williams said. “I hope we’re not a finished product right now.
“We’ve got to get better every day, and that’s what we’re trying to do in practice,” the coach added. “Yes, I’m frustrated about a lot of things, but it’s a W.”
Up Next:
UNC will remain at home this weekend, as it plays host to Georgia Tech on Saturday. Tip-off for that game is set for 2 p.m.
Game Notes:
- Longtime radio voice of the Tar Heels, play-by-play man Woody Durham, was in attendance. He received a standing ovation from the crowd when recognized for his recent induction into the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame.
- Midway through the second half, at a rather mundane moment, it was announced that classes were canceled at UNC for Wednesday due to the threat of snow–sending students into a frenzy.
- Johnson’s 21 points were the most he has scored since transferring from Pitt to UNC in the offseason.
Cover photo via Todd Melet
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