Photo by Todd Melet

At the end of a tough game, Carolina was just too sick and tired.

Perusing the box score, it is hard to believe that the Tar Heels actually led fourth-ranked Virginia by seven points with less than eight minutes to play.

The Cavaliers shot 53 percent from the floor and 55 percent from the 3-point line, while the Heels shot 35 percent and 30 percent. Besides making more shots and free throws and having more assists and blocked more shots, the ‘Hoos were in a dogfight after leading by seven points at the half.

Carolina’s best stat was a 16-3 offensive rebounding advantage from which it netted a plus 13 points, triggering a fun 17-3 run that turned that seven-point deficit into a 55-48 lead with 7:53 left and the Smith Center crowd going crazy.

But a Virginia team that was supposed to be weary after a bad home loss to Duke Saturday night and the bus ride down from Charlottesville showed why it is one of the toughest and best-coached teams in college basketball.

The Cavs outscored their hosts 21-3 the rest of the way, forcing Carolina into turnovers and bad shots while protecting the ball and making clutch baskets as the pooped Tar Heels faded to a balloon-busting 69-61 loss. Roy Williams’ team was pressured into bad possessions and hurried shots with the lineup left on the court that had all played more than 30 minutes.

With Leaky Black and Sterling Manley already benched by injuries, Nassir Little had left after only two minutes with a sprained ankle. That strained a defense that was chasing Virginia around all night and shut down an offense that had been clicking midway through the second half.

The game underscored the Tar Heels’ weaknesses inside, as Luke Maye could not get free from UVa’s pack line defense and missed eight of his 10 attempts. The only player who made more shots than he missed was Garrison Brooks, whose 12 points and eight rebounds was the result of a gutty effort but also the Cavaliers gamble that he could not beat them while they paid more attention to hounding Maye, Coby White, Cam Johnson and Kenny Williams.

Despite a 9-2 ACC record, Carolina has to regroup for a game at Wake Forest Saturday and a visit to Duke a week from Wednesday. Before the arena closed, the digital panels had already switched to a black-and-white scoreboard for practice.

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