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Social Media Reacts to UNC's Comeback Win vs No. 14 Virginia

Here are all the best reactions from the Tar Heels' win against Virginia on Saturday.
Caleb Meadows|
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North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina stormed back to upset No. 14-ranked Virginia, taking an 85-80 win. The Tar Heels put away their woes on the road and picked up a huge win.

In what could have been a disappointing performance, UNC stayed resilient and picked up a statement win that could be a massive turning point in the season.

Here is how social media reacted to UNC’s comeback win over UVA.

UVA front court dominates 1st half

The front court of both teams is the engine that drives their respective squad. So, it was no surprise that the two battled in the first half. The surprise is how much the Cavaliers outworked the Tar Heels' front court.

Thij De Ridder was the key factor in the first half. He finished the half with 13 points, five rebounds and two steals. Center Ugonn Onyenso had a big first half with six points and a block. The Cavaliers dominated the paint with nine offensive rebounds and 20 points in the paint. Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar combined for just one rebound in the half.

The biggest factor was how well the UVA front court contained the Tar Heels. Wilson got going toward the end of the half, but it took him a while to get going. Veesaar was a complete non-factor in the half. He was 2-7 from the field, and that was due to Onyenso and Johann Grunloh. The Cavaliers had a 43-34 lead at the half.

UNC guards step up

The front court for UNC was struggling, so someone had to step up, and the guards did just that. After a rough season for the guards all around, they really stepped up today.

Seth Trimble got the Tar Heels started with back-to-back 3-pointers out of the locker room. This was one of his best games all season. The freshman Derek Dixon took over the ball game. He turned into a true point guard, which is what UNC has been missing all season.

Dixon had three assists, which were all off of a rebound and down the court to reward his big men for running the floor. This generated easy buckles for Wilson and Jarin Stevenson. Dixon also pitched in seven points himself. The Tar Heels started the half shooting 10-14 from the field to start the half, and took their first lead since the first minute of the game with 11:50 to go in the second half.

Jarin Stevenson takes over

Stevenson absolutely dominated the Cavaliers in the second half, specifically in the last 10 minutes. He averages just six points this season, but finished with 17 points, which all came in the second half. His composure and confidence were off the charts in clutch time. He also put his body on the line and took a huge charge call with two minutes left to play.

Stevenson turned into the go-to scorer for UNC when a possession broke down. It was a sight to see his teammates trust him as they did. Before today, he had only scored in double figures one time in the last 14 games. Stevenson chose the perfect time to have a breakout game. He can be a key piece to the Tar Heels down the stretch to lead them into March.

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Caleb Meadows
CALEB MEADOWS

Caleb Meadows is a contributor to the UNC Tar Heels. He previously covered Louisville sports and WWE for FanSided. Meadows also covered local sports in Oklahoma while attending Oklahoma State, where he earned a degree in sports communications. Follow him on X, at @CalebMeadows25.