UNC vs. College of Charleston Gameday Open Thread
The Tar Heels open the 2020-21 season with a home game against the College of Charleston Cougars.
Carolina is coming off the worst season of Roy Williams’ career and looks to make significant improvement with ACC Preseason Player of the Year Garrison Brooks joined by a freshman class of six players, including Caleb Love, expected to start at point guard for the Tar Heels.
Charleston is coming off a 17-14 season. They are experienced, with seniors Payton Willis, Brevin Galloway and Lorenzo Edwards leading the way. Willis began his college career at Minnesota and Edwards at St. Joseph’s before finding their way to Charleston.
Other than family and media, the Dean Smith Center will be empty, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tar Heels took the court to a recording of the pep band, and squeaks of shoes were plainly audible as they went through the pregame layup line.
Carolina has a deep frontcourt featuring Brooks and sophomore Armando Bacot as well as freshmen Day’Ron Sharpe and Walker Kessler. Leaky Black should man the three-spot. He was described as UNC’s “Swiss army knife” in the preseason and will be counted on to be the team’s do-everything dirty-work guy.
At shooting guard is senior Andrew Platek and “Puff” Johnson, the freshman younger brother of former Tar Heel Cam Johnson. Brooks said the younger Johnson has bigger hands and can dunk the ball better than his older brother.
Love will man the point, backed up by fellow freshman RJ Davis, although Williams said he might move Davis to two-guard and play both at once for parts of the game.
For the first time since 2005, UNC will have two freshmen in the starting lineup. Love and Davis both get the start, along with Brooks, Black and Bacot.
UNC jerseys have UNITY across the bottom.
By my count, the Smith Center attendance (not counting media or operations people) at tip is 92.
Sterling Manley (in street clothes, along with Anthony Harris) is UNC's designated handshake guy during intros.
"Handshakes" were either salutes or forearm bumps, so also pandemic impacted.
They are using a pumped in crowd murmur recording that sounds more like being on an airplane.
UNC coaches are going casual with no fans here. Roy Williams in in a white polo shirt.
Charleston has missed its first eight shots. UNC not much better at 3-of-9. At the under 16 (with 14:51 left in the first) it's 6-2 Heels.
RJ Davis is going after it on defense at the point. Charleston having trouble running things with him disrupting. The Cougars have also missed their first 11 shots.
Bacot with a dunk and a good put back. Definitely showing more assertiveness under the basket this year.
Twelfth time is the charm for Charleston. Jasper hits a three and we go to the under 12 at 16-5 UNC.
Day'Ron Sharpe got knocked to the floor trying to get a Davis lob and didn't make it to half court by the time Charleston had scored. If I need to say it, he goes immediately to the bench
Charleston tries to inbound into the backcourt from the end line. Davis goes chest-to-chest with the intended recipient of the pass, steals the ball and lays it in, drawing the foul. He's going to be a lot of fun.
Since missing its first 11, Charleston has hit 7 of 9 shots and is on a 4-0 rebounding run. At the under 8, the lead is down to 23-19 for the Tar Heels
Roy got in Sharpe's face (in a socially distanced way) after the last time out, explaining what he did wrong. Then Manley came over to good cop him. He's back in
Puff Johnson in for the first time. UNC is now being outrebounded, which is unexpected. Charleston has not played anyone over 6-foot-8.
Under four: UNC up 35-26. Heels are down 17-15 rebounding as Charleston is on a 9-2 rebounding run. UNC has perfect efficiency on turnovers: 12 points on 6 CoC turnovers.
Smart already has 10 rebounds for Charleston.
At the half, Carolina leads 39-32.
Plus minus items of note:
Caleb Love on floor without Davis: +11 (UNC outscored CoC 20-9)
Davis without Love: -7 (CoC outscored UNC 14-7)
Davis Love IV: +3 (12-9 UNC)
Love gets back-doored out of an inbounds play. Davis fouls a driving layup. CoC shooting free throw for the lead. Hot start to second half for Cougars
Charleston misses the freebie and Sharpe puts back a Brooks miss to put UNC up 42-40. Still a shaky start to the second half for the Heels
Sharpe picks up his third foul on a loose ball rebound. We go to the under 16 with UNC up 42-40.
Charleston breaks the UNC trap coming out of the time out and hits a three to take its first lead
RJ Davis is limping. Comes out of the game
Walker Kessler (who hasn't played) doesn't appear to be in the bench area. He was there first half.
Davis makes a quick trip to the locker room and is now back, walking gingerly but fairly normally.
Meanwhile, on the court, UNC has scored 12 straight. They hit the under 12 up 54-43. And Walker Kessler comes jogging out from the locker room to join the time out huddle.
Official word from UNC: RJ Davis has a cramp.
Davis reenters the game and brings Kessler with him for his debut
Love went down hard and took a quick trip to the locker room. He seemed to be walking fine when he returned.
Kessler using his 7-foot-1ness to get a pair of putbacks (and a moving screen foul). We go to the under 8 with UNC up 63-46. That's a 21-3 run since CoC took its only lead.
Puff and Walton will lead the reserves onto the floor to finish this one up.
Actually, the freshmen don't finish it up as the next wave of reserves replace them. Walker Kessler almost gets a technical for not getting off the floor when play resumes, earning him some words from Roy Williams.
And that'll do it. Heels open the season with a 79-60 win.
