North Carolina answers the call in win over Michigan

At the 6:53 mark of the first half, North Carolina trailed Michigan 26-22 when a a foul on Hunter Dickinson ignited the Tar Heels on the floor and in the stands. Dickinson, who had previously connected with an elbow to the face of Armando Bacot, proceeded to stand over guard Caleb Love and give him a light kick while on the ground.

This kindled a fire inside the North Carolina coaching staff and players, as the Tar Heels finished the half on a 19-8 run to take a 41-34 lead.

Despite the Wolverines cutting the advantage to as little as two points in the final minute, North Carolina closed out the Big Ten opponent for an 80-76 victory.

R. J Davis connected on a floater off the glass with 52 seconds remaining and Love finished a perfect 4-for-4 from the line in the final minute to seal the fourth straight win for the Tar Heels.

In a game that had a March atmosphere and intensity, Hubert Davis' squad answered the call exactly how the did on Saturday: with heart and grit.

Continuing their improved offensive play, they executed through Armando Bacot, who finished with a game-high 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting.

Facing off against one of the presumed best big men in the country, Bacot dominated the matchup and helped the North Carolina offense play inside-out, shooting 35 percent from three-point range.

In addition to Bacot, Love and Davis combined for 37 points and showed up when the Tar Heels needed it most.

Although he committed five turnovers, the playmaking ability and selflessness of Love was a major factor in the victory. Over his last three games, he has amassed 17 assists, helping transform the offense in Chapel Hill.

While the box score may not indicate it, the most impactful player along with Bacot was Leaky Black. The fifth-year graduate student fell one point shy of his first career double-double with nine points and ten rebounds.

On the defensive end, he once again showcased why he is among the best defenders in all of college basketball.

Black chased down Michigan's Dug McDaniel late in the second half, blocking his shot attempt and subsequently throwing the ball off his legs out of bounds to regain possession.

With a six point lead, Pete Nance converted an and-one opportunity on the following possession to extend the lead and unofficially seal the game.

At 9-4, North Carolina has put together back-to-back resume-boosting wins to get their season back on track.

The preseason No. 1 team in the country looks like they deserve to be ranked once again and they appear to be primed to crack the top-25 come Monday.

A well-deserved break awaits before returning to ACC play, as the Tar Heels will head to Pittsburgh on Dec. 30th for a date with the Panthers.

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