Virginia 56-UNC 47
Virginia defeated Carolina 56-47 in one of the worst games I’ve watched this season. Both teams were absolutely terrible offensively right from the start, missing shots badly and turning the ball over on what should have been routine passes and drives.
It was only 2-0 after the first TV timeout, and 6-5 Virginia 10 minutes in as both teams made the game of basketball look very difficult. This was billed as #7 versus #5, but neither of these squads should be in the top 10 at this point in the season. I feel sorry for anyone that sat through this entire game.
On a positive note, it was great to see Armando Bacot on the floor to start this game. I really thought he’d be out at least a month after seeing him helped off the court against Ohio State and not putting weight on his sprained ankle, and while he clearly wasn’t 100% against Virginia, it was amazing to see him recover so quickly and play most of the game. This says a lot about Bacot’s toughness, but seeing this Carolina team play with him either out or hobbling is not a pretty sight.
The Tar Heels simply don’t have enough consistent scoring weapons outside of Cole Anthony and Armando Bacot. UNC was 0-8 from three-point range in the first half, and still had 0 points from its bench halfway through the second half. The Tar Heels got nothing once again from Justin Pierce and Christian Keeling, and the fact is these guys just shouldn’t be seeing the floor in a Carolina jersey.
Leaky Black has to be better as well. He took only four shots in this one, continuing his trend of passive offensive play. Brandon Robinson also took only four shots, and the Tar Heels will have almost no chance to win any game with these kind of performances from starters who need to be major contributors.
Virginia cleaned up their offensive game in the second half and slowly pulled away. The Cavaliers played the first 13 minutes after halftime without a turnover, allowing them to build what in this game was an insurmountable double-digit lead.
One potential good thing came out of the blowout, as Coach Williams decided to give freshman Anthony Harris and Jeremiah Francis some time on the floor. While neither did anything spectacular, both showed an ability to handle the ball and create off the dribble, skills that are lacking among many of their other teammates. The next game against Wofford is the perfect opportunity to get these guys some more experience, because this Tar Heel team is going to need them if they have hopes of doing anything noteworthy this season.
Game 10: Wofford
This year’s Wofford team isn’t as good as the one that knocked off Carolina in the Dean Dome two years ago, but this Tar Heel team isn’t as good as that one was either.
Wofford plays with great energy, effort, and physicality, but they’re very small and will have a big size disadvantage at nearly every position. They make up for their lack of size and length with good ball handling, quickness, and fundamentals, and if they can get hot from three-point range there will definitely be a chance for an upset.
Storm Murphy is Wofford’s point guard and feisty leader with a great handle and an extremely accurate three-point shot. UNC will need to focus on stopping him first, but the Tar Heels will need to be careful not to leave other shooters open for three-point looks either. Letting Wofford knock down a high number of threes is probably the only way Carolina can lose to the Terriers, so I hope the Tar Heel defenders will avoid overhelping on drives and stay glued to their man on the perimeter.
This game will be played in Carmichael Arena, a much smaller venue than the Smith Center but also a louder, more intimate environment. This could really help Carolina, and right now the Tar Heels can use all the help they can get.
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