Lucas: Rapid Reactions

By Adam Lucas

1. Nice finish to a touch stretch for the Tar Heels with a 97-73 win over Tulane less than 48 hours after a win over Davidson in Charlotte.

2. The first half stat sheet showed just eight fast break points for Carolina, but the Tar Heel tempo completely dictated the style of play in a first half they won, 52-29. The Tar Heels have the luxury of multiple players being able to push the ball up the court, and Tulane never fully figured out how to set up defensively.

3. Was it really just last Sunday that Carolina turned in a program-worst shooting performance in Portland? The Tar Heels looked nothing like that team against Tulane, shooting 67.9 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes and passing the ball crisply to generate a good shot on almost every trip down the floor. Carolina made 15 baskets in the game against the Spartans; they had 19 field goals in the first half alone against Tulane.

4. Carolina completely controlled the game in the paint, which wasn't supposed to be possible with this year's team. The Tar Heels outscored the Green Wave 62-30 in the lane and also amassed nine blocks. They won the rebounding battle 45-26, won the second chance points battle 16-8, and had the same number of offensive rebounds (nine) despite shooting 66 percent from the field.

5. Playing the team's third game in five days, you might have expected a bit of fatigue, but Carolina quickly jumped to a 9-2 lead and never was in significant trouble.

6. You just never know which Carolina freshman big man might have the best performance on any given day. On Sunday, it was Brandon Huffman, who contributed nine points, six rebounds and a block, and did it all in just 12 minutes. Huffman helped the UNC bench score a whopping 32 points in the game.

7. How many times have you seen a player get a defensive rebound late in a half, not realize exactly where the clock is, and launch a halfcourt shot (or worse) with multiple seconds remaining? That's why you have to appreciate Kenny Williams' savvy play at the end of the first half, when he used the full six seconds available after he pulled in a defensive rebound, then drove nearly the full 94 feet for a layup at the buzzer.

8. Luke Maye had his fifth double-double of the season, and again did it with a 20/10 game, this time with 22 points and ten rebounds in 32 minutes. Tar Heel fans may not appreciate how difficult it is to defend Maye, who presents a lot of problems for defenders with the way he combines a nice touch from the outside and a willingness to drive hard to the rim.

9. That was an interesting game for Jalek Felton, who drew the ire of Roy Williams for failing to run the floor with ten minutes left, got a lecture upon being removed from the game, but then returned to action and played perhaps his best minutes of the season over the close of the contest. Felton finished with nine points and three assists in 13 minutes, and with Seventh Woods still out with a foot injury, there's time for Felton to find some confidence before conference play begins.

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Jalek Felton

Brandon Huffman

Luke Maye

Kenny Williams

Seventh Woods

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