NC Central at UNC Gameday Open Thread
North Carolina faces N.C. Central in a late schedule change on Saturday afternoon in the Dean Smith Center.
The Tar Heels’ originally scheduled game against Elon was cancelled due to a COVID-related pause in program activities for the Phoenix. Carolina and the Eagles agreed to a replacement game earlier this week.
North Carolina is looking to bounce back from a loss to Iowa in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge earlier this week, it’s second straight defeat. The Tar Heels also lost to Texas in the finals of the Maui Invitational.
Central also lost at Iowa, by 30 in its opener. The Eagles bounced back with an overtime win over Southern, then lost on the road to Coastal Carolina.
UNC has played Central twice before, winning 89-42 in November 2009 and 76-60 in November 2014. Both games were also at the Smith Center.
The Tar Heels have a week off following the game before facing another Big Ten opponent—Ohio State. Then Carolina begins its ACC schedule.
Carolina will continue to work on its team chemistry, as it works six freshmen into the lineup.
Carolina has fallen behind by double digits early in each of its last three games, needing to mount a furious comeback to make the game competitive late. The Tar Heels will need to find a way to come out to a faster start, so they don’t need to dig out of a deep hole.
Carolina’s perimeter defense and ball security have also been recurring problems this season.
UNC will try to avoid the slow start with the same starters: Black, Love, Davis, Brooks and Bacot.
Tar Heels have only managed one shot so far and have gotten all of their points at the line, where they're only 4-for-8. UNC leads 4-2 early.
A Leaky Black airball from three takes us to the under 16. UNC trails 7-6.
Eagles are hitting 6-of-9, 2-of-3 from three, building a 14-8 lead. UNC is 2-for-7 and getting outrebounded 8 to 3.
Another three. Central now up nine.
A Walker Kessler turnover--after an ill-advised Walker Kessler three attempt--takes us to the under 12, 17-8 Central.
After the break, it becomes official: Tar Heels down by double figures early again.
Nice interior pass from Sharpe to a driving Kessler, who finishes the and-one. Platek got an and-one on the last possession, and UNC has cut the lead to 19-14.
Love throws away passes on back-to-back possessions. He's up to four turnovers in 10 minutes.
An NC Central airball takes us to the under eight with UNC down 23-16.
Carolina cuts it to 28-24 and Central calls time just before the under 4.
Bacot with back-to-back scores to tie things at 28. He leads UNC with 15 and six boards.
Davis with a layup just before the buzzer to give UNC a 30-28 halftime lead.
Heels very fortunate to be up after shooting 39.1 percent, 0-for-7 from three, with nine turnovers. Heels closed the half on a 10-0 run and held Central scoreless for the last five minutes-plus.
Bacot with back-to-back buckets. UNC extends the lead to 36-30 and gives Central's Jamir Moultrie his fourth foul. Time out Eagles. 17:29 left
UNC boxes out but an uncontested rebound goes right through Leaky Black's hands and out of bounds. Same thing happened to Sharpe earlier in the game.
UNC hits and will shoot for the and-one after the under 16. Heels up 38-34.
Heels with several dunks. They head into the under 12 up 47-40
Carolina is 0-for-10 from three but is hitting 61 percent from the field in the second half.
Platek with back-to-back threes and a breakaway layup. Central calls time with UNC up 57-42.
UNC not really pulling away, but leads 73-58 with 1:27 left.
As I said ... NC Central cuts it to six and takes time out with 8.3 seconds left.
Carolina holds on to win 73-67
