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Social Media Reacts to UNC's loss vs California

Here are all the best reactions from the Tar Heels' loss against Cal on Saturday afternoon.
Caleb Meadows|
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

North Carolina suffered yet another conference loss, putting the Tar Heels at a 2-3 record in the ACC. Cal knocked off UNC 84-78 and led for the entire game.

This is now back-to-back losses for the Tar Heels, and things could start looking rough in Chapel Hill. UNC has yet to play any of the top teams in the conference and already has a losing record in the ACC.

Here is how social media reacted to the Tar Heels’ second straight loss.

Disastrous first half from UNC

The Tar Heels yet again gave up 45-plus points in the first half, as it was 54 points to the Golden Bears. Cal started the game outworking UNC and wanting it more, as the Golden Bears went on a quick 7-0 run to start the game. The Tar Heels gave the ball away possession after possession, turning it over six times in the first 10 minutes of the game.

UNC had another stretch where it gave up a huge run, as Cal went on a 16-3 run to take a 26-13 lead over the Tar Heels. UNC star Caleb Wilson did not score until the 10:45 mark in the half, but when he did, the buckets came in bunches. Wilson went on a personal 8-0 run for the second straight game. He was the only player on the court for the Tar Heels who showed any effort and pride in the game.

The Tar Heels could not play man-to-man defense, so they switched to a 2-3 zone, which was somehow worse than their man-to-man defense. Cal forward John Camden took over when UNC switched to zone. He torched the zone, catching the ball wide open around the free-throw line and knocking down wide-open jump shots.

Once UNC head coach Hubert Davis noticed the zone was not working, he went back to man defense. The problem was that the Tar Heels still refused to step up and guard Camden on the perimeter. He scored 16 points in the half, including his first three 3-pointers of the entire season. Cal led the Tar Heels 54-37 at halftime. It was truly a pathetic half of basketball from UNC.

UNC 2nd half storm falls just short

The Tar Heels felt their backs against the wall coming out of the locker room, and they responded. UNC upped its aggressiveness on defense with full-court pressure and trapping the guards at the top of the key. This defensive pressure resulted in some fast-break opportunities for UNC, leading to a 9-0 run to cut the lead to 13.

The Golden Bears responded and ended the run with a 3-pointer by Mantas Kocanas. After about six minutes of both teams trading baskets, the Tar Heels finally took control of the game. They went on an 18-3 run after forcing multiple turnovers and getting to the free-throw line. This huge run by UNC eventually cut the lead to four.

Fundamentals lost UNC the game

The fundamentals forced UNC to claw back for the entire game, but the Tar Heels ultimately failed to do so. Turnovers and free throws destroyed them throughout the game. Turnovers have not been a huge problem for the Tar Heels this season, but something has been in the water the past few games. UNC committed 11 turnovers, and most of those came from traps where the Tar Heels put themselves in bad positions.

The Tar Heels shot just 60% from the free-throw line, leaving 11 points off the board. Ultimately, the game was decided by six points.

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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.