.png&width=36&height=36&type=webp)
University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: J.D. Lyon Jr.
Lucas: Rapid Reactions
December 8, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
Quick takeaways from the visit to Virginia.
By Adam Lucas
1. Given Carolina's scoring struggles this year, Sunday's game was about what you might have expected, as Virginia ground out a 56-47 win that dropped the Tar Heels to 1-1 in the league.
2. Virginia's second half spurt was keyed by a parade to the free throw line, as the Tar Heels struggled to avoid fouling jump shooters. The Wahoos took 19 free throws (making 14). That enabled them to stretch out their lead in a half when they shot 36.4 percent from the field.
3. As you probably guessed, the 18-point output in the first half was tied for the lowest in the Roy Williams era for a half. Carolina shot 7-for-23 from the field, 0-for-8 from the three point line and 4-for-9 from the free throw line. The lowest game output in the Williams era was 43 here in Charlottesville in 2017. For the game, Carolina hit 1-for-14 from the three-point line, 12-for-22 from the free throw line, and converted 37.0 percent from the field.
4. If the offense is going to struggle that much, there has to be some offensive rebounding to secure all those misses. But Virginia is among the best in the country at limiting opponent opportunities on the offensive glass, and they showed it again against the Tar Heels. Carolina managed just eight offensive rebounds even on a very poor shooting night.
5. Some of the offensive problems are missing shots, of course. But Carolina simply isn't executing at a very high level right now. Case in point: the final minute of the first half. The Tar Heel bench wanted the Heels to go two-for-one when they gained possession with approximately 50 seconds left. But Carolina was slow getting into the offense and missed a shot that gave Virginia the final possession. Then, with only four team fouls, Roy Williams wanted his team to be aggressive, but they miscommunicated and allowed a layup. Those types of breakdowns need to be eliminated as the real ACC season approaches.
6. What was ultimately the decisive stretch in the second half, as Virginia pushed the lead out to double figures with 8:34 remaining, was keyed by the Tar Heels fouling jump shooters. It started with Cole Anthony fouling a three-point shooter, and then two more fouls against jump shooters ended in a stretch when the Wahoos made six of seven free throws. They went over five minutes without a field goal...and still added two points to their lead in that span.
7. One longterm positive from the game: it marked the debut of Jeremiah Francis and Anthony Harris. They entered with 7:42 left in the game and Virginia holding a 47-35 lead. The move enabled Francis to run the point and Anthony to play off the ball. Harris made his first two Tar Heel career baskets.
8. Anthony is in the midst of that kind of stretch that all freshmen eventually have in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Coming off a 4-15 night against Ohio State, the rookie was 4-for-15 against Virginia and 1-for-six from the three-point line. He had zero assists against the Cavaliers and has three assists and nine turnovers in those two games. Perhaps of more concern, since the Notre Dame game, he's shooting 31.3 percent from the three-point line and 33.9 percent from the field. He's too good for those numbers to continue, and keep in mind the two-game stats are against the two most efficient defenses in the country. Really, that's something to keep in mind for the team as a whole--it's unlikely the Tar Heels will face two better defensive clubs than what they've seen in the last two games.
9. Some good toughness shown by Armando Bacot to come back from a painful looking ankle injury on Wednesday night against the Buckeyes. For much of Sunday's game, Bacot was Carolina's best offensive option, and he finished with 11 points. But he was limited to just 25 minutes after suffering an arm injury going for a rebound midway through the second half.
10. Carolina now enters the exam period in advance of Sunday's return to Carmichael against Wofford. The Tar Heels will have an abbreviated practice schedule this week to allow for exam preparation. They will have a full practice Friday, and then practice Saturday in Carmichael.
11. If you were listening to the Tar Heel Sports Network, you heard a heartfelt message from Eric Montross to Linda Woods, a longtime member of the Carolina basketball family. Everyone certainly sends their very best to Mrs. Woods, a fixture in the Carolina basketball office for many years who was a mother away from home for a generation of Tar Heel players.
12. Virginia has now won the last five in this series, and eight of the last 12.
1. Given Carolina's scoring struggles this year, Sunday's game was about what you might have expected, as Virginia ground out a 56-47 win that dropped the Tar Heels to 1-1 in the league.
2. Virginia's second half spurt was keyed by a parade to the free throw line, as the Tar Heels struggled to avoid fouling jump shooters. The Wahoos took 19 free throws (making 14). That enabled them to stretch out their lead in a half when they shot 36.4 percent from the field.
3. As you probably guessed, the 18-point output in the first half was tied for the lowest in the Roy Williams era for a half. Carolina shot 7-for-23 from the field, 0-for-8 from the three point line and 4-for-9 from the free throw line. The lowest game output in the Williams era was 43 here in Charlottesville in 2017. For the game, Carolina hit 1-for-14 from the three-point line, 12-for-22 from the free throw line, and converted 37.0 percent from the field.
4. If the offense is going to struggle that much, there has to be some offensive rebounding to secure all those misses. But Virginia is among the best in the country at limiting opponent opportunities on the offensive glass, and they showed it again against the Tar Heels. Carolina managed just eight offensive rebounds even on a very poor shooting night.
5. Some of the offensive problems are missing shots, of course. But Carolina simply isn't executing at a very high level right now. Case in point: the final minute of the first half. The Tar Heel bench wanted the Heels to go two-for-one when they gained possession with approximately 50 seconds left. But Carolina was slow getting into the offense and missed a shot that gave Virginia the final possession. Then, with only four team fouls, Roy Williams wanted his team to be aggressive, but they miscommunicated and allowed a layup. Those types of breakdowns need to be eliminated as the real ACC season approaches.
6. What was ultimately the decisive stretch in the second half, as Virginia pushed the lead out to double figures with 8:34 remaining, was keyed by the Tar Heels fouling jump shooters. It started with Cole Anthony fouling a three-point shooter, and then two more fouls against jump shooters ended in a stretch when the Wahoos made six of seven free throws. They went over five minutes without a field goal...and still added two points to their lead in that span.
7. One longterm positive from the game: it marked the debut of Jeremiah Francis and Anthony Harris. They entered with 7:42 left in the game and Virginia holding a 47-35 lead. The move enabled Francis to run the point and Anthony to play off the ball. Harris made his first two Tar Heel career baskets.
8. Anthony is in the midst of that kind of stretch that all freshmen eventually have in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Coming off a 4-15 night against Ohio State, the rookie was 4-for-15 against Virginia and 1-for-six from the three-point line. He had zero assists against the Cavaliers and has three assists and nine turnovers in those two games. Perhaps of more concern, since the Notre Dame game, he's shooting 31.3 percent from the three-point line and 33.9 percent from the field. He's too good for those numbers to continue, and keep in mind the two-game stats are against the two most efficient defenses in the country. Really, that's something to keep in mind for the team as a whole--it's unlikely the Tar Heels will face two better defensive clubs than what they've seen in the last two games.
9. Some good toughness shown by Armando Bacot to come back from a painful looking ankle injury on Wednesday night against the Buckeyes. For much of Sunday's game, Bacot was Carolina's best offensive option, and he finished with 11 points. But he was limited to just 25 minutes after suffering an arm injury going for a rebound midway through the second half.
10. Carolina now enters the exam period in advance of Sunday's return to Carmichael against Wofford. The Tar Heels will have an abbreviated practice schedule this week to allow for exam preparation. They will have a full practice Friday, and then practice Saturday in Carmichael.
11. If you were listening to the Tar Heel Sports Network, you heard a heartfelt message from Eric Montross to Linda Woods, a longtime member of the Carolina basketball family. Everyone certainly sends their very best to Mrs. Woods, a fixture in the Carolina basketball office for many years who was a mother away from home for a generation of Tar Heel players.
12. Virginia has now won the last five in this series, and eight of the last 12.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballCoach's Corner with Bill Belichick - Episode 10 - November 13, 2025
Thursday, November 13
Carolina Insider: Rapid Reactions – Men’s Basketball vs. Radford – November 11, 2025
Wednesday, November 12
Hubert Davis Post-Radford Press Conference
Wednesday, November 12
UNC Men's Basketball: Tar Heels Handle Radford, 89-74
Wednesday, November 12