Lucas: Rapid Reactions

By Adam Lucas

1. The irony of that game is going to be that almost everything--the effort, the communication, the ball movement--was better than it's been in recent games. But the Tar Heels ultimately couldn't overcome two missing starters, and dropped a 68-64 decision to Wofford.

2. But that wasn't enough to win the game, and Carolina has now dropped a winnable nonconference game during a stretch that was going to be a challenge even under the best of circumstances.

3. Very smart adjustment by the Tar Heel coaching staff to switch everything on the perimeter. Wofford's offense is based around the three-point line, so Carolina's switching prevented the Terriers from getting as many open looks as they otherwise might. The Terriers actually didn't shoot as well as they normally do, hitting 35.0 percent from the three-point line.

4. At the same time, Carolina used its size and strength advantage to dominate in the paint. The Tar Heels controlled the rebounding battle, dominated the offensive glass (Wofford rarely even sent players to try and secure missed shots) and points in the paint. With such a depleted lineup, it was huge for Armando Bacot to have eight points and 13 rebounds and Garrison Brooks to add another 17 points and 12 boards. Bacot is doubtless going to rue a couple of missed opportunities near the rim in the second half when he couldn't finish at close range; he shot just 2-for-14.

5. Imagine today without Jeremiah Francis. That's a tribute to the hard work he put in to get back ahead of what many people might have expected, and to the work athletic trainer Doug Halverson and strength and conditioning coach Jonas Sahratian did with him. Francis' shot hasn't come all the way back yet, but he looked very good pushing the tempo and moving the ball offensively. Francis' line in the box score (three assists, a rebound and a turnover in 15:37 of action) doesn't do justice to the role he played.

6. Nice (even if unwanted) symmetry with the fact that Kenny Smith started the last regular season game at Carmichael, and K.J. Smith started today. Smith did hand out four assists while scoring seven points in his 25:47. Smith was a key part of the ball movement that led to the Tar Heels adding up 17 assists on 23 field goals, a far better ratio than they've had recently.

7. Great to see Bobby Jones back in Carmichael on Sunday. The newest Tar Heel Hall of Famer was honored at halftime. Jones, who was a part of numerous great Carmichael classics--including the comeback from eight points down in 17 seconds against Duke in 1974--is the seventh former Carolina player and 11th Tar Heel overall to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

8. Carolina's defense wasn't good enough to take Wofford out of the deliberate style of play that they wanted to play. The Terriers committed just five turnovers, and the Tar Heels had just two steals.

9. Brandon Robinson was sensational during the stretch when Carolina was coming back from a 13-point deficit. The senior hit a three-pointer, had a key box out that led to two of his own free throws, and fed Brooks for a bucket that cut it to 55-49. He then had another feed to Brooks and tipped a key defensive rebound to a teammate with four minutes left. Robinson, who also added a key blocked shot on a Wofford run-out, finished with 16 points, five assists and six rebounds.

10. Christian Keeling quietly brought some good energy to a day that needed it. The grad transfer had eight points and a whopping nine rebounds.

11. The day clearly took on another tone when it was announced before the game that Cole Anthony and Leaky Black would have to sit out, and that Sterling Manley is finished for the season. Anthony is out indefinitely with a knee injury, with more news on treatment to come in upcoming days. Black has a sprained right foot and is on a game-to-game basis.

12. The news on Manley won't get as much attention today, because he hasn't seen action this season, but that's a big loss. The Tar Heels could really use a third big man to step forward and earn some minutes; Manley would have been that player.

13. Yes, it was great to be back in Carmichael for an afternoon for a men's game. But keep in mind this game was borne of necessity and of a conflict with graduation ceremonies in the Smith Center. There are practical and financial reasons why it simply wouldn't be a viable place to play for a full season in 2019. Also, part of what made Sunday special is that it isn't an every-year occurrence. It was fun to be part of a one-time special occasion that clearly was meaningful to the thousands of fans who packed the old arena.

Scoreboard Slider

University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Cole Anthony

Armando Bacot

Leaky Black

Garrison Brooks

Jeremiah Francis

Christian Keeling

Sterling Manley

Brandon Robinson

K.J. Smith

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