In a game they absolutely had to have, the Tar Heels went on the road, and won in Tallahassee, 77-66 to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Carolina jumped out to a 43-25 halftime lead, in large part because they made 11 of 18 three-pointers, to set the tone immediately. In the second half, FSU would close the margin to as close as 66-62, before UNC answered with a mini 5-0 run to effectively put the game away. The Heels shot 43% from the field, but 48% from behind the arc, as they finished the game 14-29. Conversely, Florida State shot 42% from the field, but only 20% from behind the arc. Four Tar Heel starters scored in double figures, led by R.J, Davis, and his game-high 19 points, on 7-13 shooting. Leaky Black had a career game, scoring 18 points, and grabbing 9 rebounds. Black made 3-4 of his three-point attempts, and finished the game off, with an emphatic dunk, that made the UNC bench erupt.
For the second straight game, Carolina set the tone from the start, in large part because of their perimeter jump shooting. More importantly, though, they didn’t allow their offense to impact their defense, as they allowed only 25 points, on 33% shooting. While it’s understandable to be frustrated with Carolina not putting the game away early in the second half, the Noles have been playing better as of late, and with this being their Senior Night, they weren’t going to go down without a fight.
Carolina couldn’t improve their NCAA Tournament standing with a win tonight, but a loss would’ve put them in a situation where they would have to win four games, in four days in Greensboro to secure an automatic bid for the NCAA Tournament. The Heels have now won three straight games, which qualifies as a winning streak, as they head into the biggest game of the year, when they host Duke on Saturday, once again in a must-win situation.
Strong First Half: Carolina scored 43 points, on 61% shooting from the field, including going 11-18 from behind the arc. Of their 13 made baskets, 9 of them were assisted on, as the math continues to prove that when the Heels move the ball, it typically goes in the basket, at a much more efficient, and effective rate.
Leaky Black: The fifth-year senior has all but wrapped up the Defensive Player of the Year award, but tonight it was his offense that helped carry the team to tonight’s win. He scored 18 points, on 6-8 shooting, and 3-4 from behind the arc. Every shot he took was in rhythm with the offense, and tonight he was tough enough to make the shots he needs to make, to help open up the offense. He also added 9 rebounds to turn in one of his best performances as a Tar Heel, which is saying something, as he played his 152nd game at Carolina, tied for the most in program and ACC history.
Lemon Oreos: In a game where Armando Bacot scored a single point, Pete Nance stepped up, scoring 15 points, and grabbing 10 rebounds. Ever since the second half against Notre Dame, and his conversation with Hubert Davis about his love for lemon Oreos, Nance has played with a level of confidence we haven’t seen from him, and the type of toughness required to play in this conference. He’ll need to continue his improved play on Saturday against Duke.
Rebounding: Even with Bacot limited with foul trouble, Carolina still won the rebounding battle, 40-32, including 31-24 on the defensive glass. Nance led the way with 10 rebounds, followed by 9 from the aforementioned Leaky Black. Bacot still grabbed 8 himself, but as Hubert has emphasized all season long, UNC needs to rebound as a team, they did just that tonight, to control the pace and tempo of the game.
Turnovers: Had Carolina lost the game, turnovers would’ve been the reason why, as they turned it over 14 times, which led to 13 points for Florida State. Even though the Noles didn’t convert them all, the turnovers did hinder Carolina from putting the game away much earlier. They’ve overcome turnovers in back-to-back games, but they’ll need to protect the basketball much better on Saturday.
Up Next: The greatest rivalry in sports renews itself in Chapel Hill, as UNC hosts Duke needing a win to further their push to make the NCAA Tournament. College Game Day will be in town that morning, ahead of the 6:30 tip on ESPN.