Lucas: Rapid Reactions

By Adam Lucas

1. Impressive offensive showing for Carolina in a 113-96 win over NCSU. The Tar Heels essentially got whatever they wanted on offense.

2. Luke Maye was once again sensational against the Wolfpack. The senior finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds and everyone in Raleigh now has alternating nightmares featuring either Maye or Giovani Bernard. Maye has averaged--averaged!--28.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game in his last four contests against the Pack.

3. But Maye didn't do it alone. Coby White dictated the tempo throughout the night and also scored 21 points, and Cam Johnson and Kenny Williams each had 17.

4. For the second straight game, Carolina was terrific on the glass. The Tar Heels nearly doubled up the Wolfpack on the boards (40-21) and also hauled down 14 offensive rebounds, leading to a 21-13 edge in second chance points.

5. The Tar Heel offense has improved markedly over the last couple of months (it helps playing against one of the league's most porous defenses statistically). Even when the Heels weren't rebounding their misses, they were executing more crisply on the first shot. Especially pretty was a play in the first half when they used nearly all 30 seconds of the shot clock, then White found Garrison Brooks for a dunk and a ten-point lead with eight minutes left. Carolina showed similar patience early in the second half when Johnson finished the play with a swooping drive to the rim.

6. Good adjustment by Carolina in the first half, as the Tar Heels began switching screens on the perimeter after Braxton Beverly hit four three-pointers early in the half. Beverly did not make a three-pointer the rest of the half.

7. Incredible work on the offensive glass helped Roy Williams' team have their second-most efficient half of the season in the first half. Carolina racked up 56 points on 44 possessions in the first half (and held a 16-3 edge in second chance points) and rebounded 10 of their 17 missed shots. The only more efficient half of the season was the second half against UCLA in Las Vegas.

8. Even with all the good, though, Roy Williams is certain to be displeased that the Tar Heels got a little loose with the ball in the second half. State's Blake Harris caused some havoc defensively, and Carolina tried to get a little fancy on a couple of occasions when an easier pass would have sufficed. No one was immune from the disease, as even Johnson took a brief seat on the bench after trying a high degree of difficulty pass. Carolina was also beaten down the court too many times in transition.

9. Tuesday's win continues one of the most impressive streaks in Carolina basketball history. In every year the league has existed, the Tar Heels have posted a home-and-home sweep of at least one conference foe. Carolina, of course, also won in Raleigh.

10. As you probably noticed, Carolina was wearing throwback jerseys that honored the 50th anniversary of the 1967-69 teams, all of which went to the Final Four. The retro t-shirt version of that jersey was available at the Smith Center, and the replica retro jersey like the one worn on the court tonight will be available at the Smith Center at the Virginia game on Monday. NCSU elected not to wear their throwback unitards.

11. This now becomes just the third time in the Roy Williams era that UNC has started conference play 8-1. The other two campaigns, 2005 and 2016, both ended on the final Monday night of the season.

12. Tuesday marked the second-most points NCSU has allowed in a basketball game, and the most points Carolina has scored in regulation in an ACC game since putting up 115 against Clemson in 1968. Carolina scored 114 against Wake in triple overtime in Roy Williams' first season.

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Garrison Brooks

Luke Maye

Coby White

Kenny Williams

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