University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Rapid Reactions
March 5, 2017 | Men's Basketball
By Adam Lucas
1. That, folks, was one to remember. Carolina's 90-83 win over Duke had 24 lead changes, 14 ties, and a little bit of everything, and was the perfect capstone to a terrific regular season.
2. Isaiah Hicks didn't play in Durham and had been saddled with foul trouble in recent games. He emerged on Saturday night, shooting 7 of 9 from the field on his way to 21 points and nine rebounds. Hicks was a difference-maker--and played through some early foul trouble, picking up two fouls a little more than midway through the second half--against a Duke team that was dominated in the paint, 44-26, by the Tar Heels. Of course, the Blue Devils still managed to attempt 35 free throws (UNC was 16-for-21 from the charity stripe).
3. Meanwhile, Joel Berry was on fire from the perimeter, hitting 9 of his 14 shots and all five of his three-pointers for 28 points. On what was a relatively off night for Justin Jackson (just 6-for-17), the Tar Heels needed some perimeter production, and Berry provided it.
4. If you had to guess Kennedy Meeks' final play in the Smith Center as a Tar Heel, would you have guessed a vicious swat of Amile Jefferson?
5. Theo Pinson didn't have a great shooting night (0 for 4) but his seven assists were a big part of the UNC offense. Pinson was a little shaky early, with a couple of turnovers, but got back on track to play an integral role in the win.
6. The image of Kennedy Meeks and Nate Britt embracing at midcourt during senior day festivities is exactly what Carolina basketball is about. Two complete strangers brought together by Tar Heel basketball, now leaving as brothers. It doesn't get much better than that.
7. The halftime ceremony featuring Michael Jordan, quite simply, was a great one. Let's be honest--any time The Michael Jordan comes to midcourt at the Smith Center, you've got the makings of an unforgettable night.
8. Point to remember: in nine of the last ten seasons, the winner of the second Carolina-Duke game has advanced further in the NCAA Tournament.
9. Carolina finished 16-0 in the Smith Center this season, marking the third time in Roy Williams' tenure that Carolina has been undefeated at home (the others are 2005 and 2011). The only other two undefeated seasons in the Smith Center were 1987 and 1993. In other words, half the time the Tar Heels have had an unblemished record in Chapel Hill since the Smith Center opened, they won the national title.
10. The Tar Heels now go to Brooklyn as the outright ACC champions, where they will face the winner of Syracuse (a team playing very close to home) and Miami (a team that defeated the Tar Heels during the regular season). In other words, it doesn't get any easier. But that's OK, just enjoy this one for a couple of days.
