Quick Hitters - North Carolina vs. Boston College

Isaac Schade presents Quick Hitters from North Carolina’s 58-47 home win over Boston College on Wednesday night.

Author:
Isaac Schade
Jan 27, 2022 1:15 AM EST

Quick Hitters from North Carolina’s 58-47 home win over Boston College on Wednesday night.

Highlights:

Condensed Game:

The Tar Heels stay undefeated at home and are now up to 11-0 in the Smith Center this season. This was a much closer game than the meeting at Boston College. In the first game, the Eagles were just coming off COVID pause, allowing UNC to have their way. Tonight was a different story, as the first 39:34 was all played at a margin of less than double-digits. Carolina took their first (and only) double-digit lead with 26 ticks left.
10 of the 11 Smith Center victories have been by a double-digit margin. The 94-87 win over Brown is the lone exception.
The Tar Heels were already doing a great job limiting opponents’ scoring totals in the Smith Center, but Boston College’s 47-point output sets a new season low. Prior to the game, UNC was holding opponents to an average of 62.3 points at home. After holding BC to 47, that average is down to 60.9 points per game. Outside of Browns’ 87 points, no opponent has reached 70 points in the Smith Center this season.
It’s a good thing the defense did what they did tonight because the offense was historically putrid. How putrid you ask? I’ll tell you: Carolina shot 29.1% (16-55) from the floor, marking the first time in UNC history that the Tar Heels have won a game when shooting under 30% (30.3% vs. William & Mary on 1/8/57 was the previous low). The pro: Carolina can win ugly. The con: need I state the obvious?
While Carolina managed just 25 points in the second half, they still outscored Boston College by nine, with the Eagles able to trickle in just 16 meager points.
Unfortunately, Armando Bacot’s double-double streak comes to an end at 10 games. He certainly did the work in the rebounding category though, pulling in 18 rebounds but managing only six points.
Bacot started the Virginia Tech game going 6-6 from the field in the first 5:17. In the 74:43 of game action since then? He’s missed 21 of his 23 shots. One has to wonder if he’s feeling the effects of the hard fall near the end of the Miami game. Adding in Wake Forest, Bacot has shot 29.3% (12-41) from the field in the three games since that fall.
Bacot’s rebounding average has now jumped up to 12.1 for the season. In this, Carolina’s 20^th game, the junior center eclipsed his total number of rebounds from last season (and in nine fewer games). Bacot is only 21 rebounds shy of his freshman year total, which he achieved in 32 games.
For just the third time this season, no Tar Heel reached 20 points. In a game where Carolina scored just 58 points, 20 would have equaled slightly more than 1/3 of the scoring. Only Caleb Love and RJ Davis reached double-digits with Love the closest to 20 at 16.
Carolina has grabbed 40 or more rebounds in five straight games. On the flip side, Kentucky is the only opponent who has reached 40 rebounds. In fact, the Wildcats and Tennessee are the only two teams to out-rebound the Tar Heels through the first 20 games.
Nice job by Carolina of getting to the free throw line. RJ Davis and Caleb Love attacked the rim aggressively. That’s now three straight ACC games, and four of the last five, with 20-plus free throw attempts.
Not only is UNC getting to the line with regularity, but they are cashing in while they are there. After the first three games of the season, the Heels were making 69.3% of their free throws. After 20 games that number is now up to 76.1%. In fact, the Tar Heels are currently leading the ACC in free throw percentage and have the highest mark for a Carolina team since the 1984-85 season.
The Heels had eight turnovers, marking the first time this season that they had single-digit turnovers in back-to-back games. Along the same lines, the combined 15 turnovers against Virginia Tech and Boston College is the lowest two-game total of the season.
UNC recorded their fewest assists this season (seven), but also their fewest made baskets (16).
This is a departure from what you’re used to seeing from Carolina: the Tar Heels have managed double-digit fast break points in just one ACC game.
Great performance from Leaky Black. He started the scoring with a three-pointer (his third in the last two games), and in total chipped in eight points (after scoring 10 the game before), four rebounds, and three blocks (tied career high). Most important though were his five assists and zero turnovers.

A telling stat: Carolina is 8-0 this season when Black records at least three assists. The lesson? Make sure that man is distributing the ball.
Kerwin Walton made his first trip to the free throw line this season after getting fouled on a three with 10:27 left in the first half. He calmly drained all three. Shortly thereafter, Walton also buried a three pointer. Would love to see him get going before long.
Unfortunately, Dawson Garcia missed again as he continues to be at home with some type of family illness happening. Thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the Garcia family.
We’ve seen this growth and maturation trend a couple times this season now: Armando Bacot picked up a first half foul, less than two minutes in, but did a great job walling off and playing wise defense without picking up number two the rest of the half. He had one additional foul in the second half, but nothing to be concerned about.
This game was closer than the final score would indicate. With 4:30 left, Carolina led by just three (50-47). From there, the Tar Heels went on an eight-point run to close out the game. Of course it also helps that BC didn’t score a single point in the final 7:12.
No rest for the weary unfortunately. Carolina will finish off their four games in eight days stretch by hosting NC State. Although the Wolfpack are just 3-7 in the ACC, you always need to be ready for anything in a rivalry game. Rest, rest, and more rest is the name of the game for the starting five.

Box Score

Hubert Davis postgame press conference

Players postgame press conference

Leaky Black

Caleb Love

Remember to check in for Quick Hitters after every North Carolina basketball game. Next up is a home game against NC State on Saturday, January 29. Tip is at 2:00pm ET on ACC Network.

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