Lucas: Rapid Reactions

By Adam Lucas

1. What felt like a sleepy game on a cold day in Tallahassee with no students in town turned into a prototypical ACC basketball game.

2. What an effort by Joel Berry in a game that defines what makes Berry Berry. He shot 22 times, and it felt like at least 20 of them were through significant contact, and scored a game-high 28 points. The senior scored 10 of Carolina's final 12 points. Three days after making a game-winner against Wake Forest, Berry missed the potential game-winner with under five seconds to play. But he'll want the ball again Saturday at Virginia, and the Tar Heels will want him to have it. Berry had 21 points in the second half.

3. Quite a perimeter offensive onslaught from the Seminoles in the first half. FSU attempted just two of its first eight field goals from beyond the three-point line, but then hoisted 18 three-pointers in its next 25 shots, making nine of them. The 51 points and 54.5 percent shooting from the field in the first 20 minutes were both season highs by a UNC opponent.

4. Theo Pinson didn't have a big stat line in that game, but he was essential to the push Carolina made to get the game even in the second half. Pinson had a big basket, a nice assist and a huge rebound midway through the second half. But an unfortunate fourth foul then forced him out of the game with 9:28 left in a tie game. By the time he re-entered at the 3:35 mark, Carolina trailed by five. Pinson came back just in time to make a key steal with under a minute to play, then fed Berry for a three-pointer that cut it to 81-80.

5. After playing poorly in the first half and allowing a big Florida State run, the Carolina bench was better in the second half. That included some big minutes from Sterling Manley, a slick assist from Jalek Felton, and an impressive drive and hoop from Andrew Platek.

6. Most of the time, late game coaching only gets attention if it works. Roy Williams made a couple beautiful calls in the final three minutes that almost worked...but didn't. Berry missed a backdoor layup out of a timeout, and Cam Johnson was a little late rotating on a called trap and missed a key steal by inches.

7. Joel Berry effectively played a senior home game on Wednesday night. With Tallahassee roughly three and a half hours from his home in Apopka, the first row behind the Carolina bench was packed with Berry's friends and family.

8. Solid job by the Tar Heels on the boards against a good rebounding team. Carolina won the overall rebounding battle 41-37 and had a 17-8 edge on the offensive glass. The Heels also reversed their recent turnover troubles and coughed the ball up just seven times, with just three of those coming in the second half.

9. Florida State being in great foul shape had a huge impact on the final seconds. The Seminoles could play defense without concern of fouling because they were well under seven team fouls. That changed the way they defended, and the Tar Heels weren't able to convert.

10. Overall, that's a game Carolina can grow from. The problem is the next game is an even tougher road assignment, at Virginia on Saturday.

Players Mentioned

Jalek Felton

Sterling Manley

Theo Pinson

Andrew Platek

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