University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Rapid Reactions
November 7, 2015 | Men's Basketball
By Adam Lucas
1. Let's get this out of the way first: it's very difficult to tell anything from a game like Friday night's 99-49 win over Guilford. Carolina is, as Roy Williams is certain to say, "more gifted and talented" than Guilford. The Tar Heels held a whopping 60-18 edge on points in the paint and physically dominated the Quakers.
2. The absence of Justin Jackson and Marcus Paige meant the Tar Heels were without their two most reliable perimeter scorers. But Carolina still hoisted 12 three-pointers in the first half, connecting on five of them. The Tar Heels shot just five trifectas in the second half.
3. If it wasn't for the presence of returning All-American Paige, there would be more buzz about Joel Berry. The sophomore guard was looking more comfortable at the end of his freshman year, and he's got a nice combination of finishing ability and perimeter reliability.
4. Nice debut for Kenny Williams. The freshman was singled out by Roy Williams as a player likely to receive more playing time in the absence of Paige and Jackson, and he didn't look as lost as freshmen sometimes do in their opening games. Williams shot 5-for-7 from the field and handed out five assists. Pairing Williams with Pinson in the lineup at the same time gave the Tar Heels a nice dose of versatility and athleticism.
5. Even without Paige, Carolina still moved the ball very efficiently. The Tar Heels handed out 18 assists on 23 first-half field goals and finished with 33 assists on 42 field goals. Nate Britt didn't have a great game shooting the ball but recorded nine assists.
6. Luke Maye dominated preseason conditioning and showed how it translated to the court in the second half. He beat Guilford down the court twice in a row in the second half and turned it into a pair of quick layups.
7. An encouraging sign: even without Paige and Jackson, the Tar Heels still scored 99 points, putting six players in double figures. Britt and Kennedy Meeks tied for scoring honors with 14 points apiece, but it was a fairly well-balanced offense.
