Lucas: Rapid Reactions

By Adam Lucas

1. That was a dominant end to the most impressive road ACC season Carolina has had under Roy Williams. Carolina controlled Boston College virtually from start to finish.

2. It's a well-documented story that Carolina finished the Atlantic Coast Conference season 9-0 on the road in the league. That's just the second time in the Roy Williams era that the Tar Heels have been undefeated away from home in conference play. But when they last did it, in 2008, the margin of victory in those eight road ACC wins was 7.9 points per game. This year--with Carolina admittedly dodging visits to Virginia, Virginia Tech and Florida State--the Tar Heels won by an average of 16.0 points per game. Keep in mind that the 2008 figure includes four games that were decided by either one point or in overtime; this year's road slate had zero of those games. In other words: wow.

3. Also worthy of a wow: Luke Maye's performance. The senior finished with 17 points, 20 rebounds and five assists. According to THSN statistician Jody Zeugner, that's only been done once in UNC history--Mike O'Koren against Duke in 1979. Maye's 20 boards were the first time a Tar Heel had done that since Brice Johnson in 2016.

4. Carolina ran the floor about as well as it has all season. The Tar Heels had 15 fast break points midway through the first half. That's as many or more fast break points than the Tar Heels had in 13 of the first 16 league games of the season. Carolina finished with 21 fast break points, which trails only the 24 points the Tar Heels put up in transition against Georgia Tech.

5. Nice benefit to Roy Williams to be able to get his starters some rest in the penultimate league game of the year--a rare luxury. Cam Johnson and Maye had 33 minutes, and Coby White played just 31.

6. With students on break at Boston College, Carolina had a strong fan showing at the Conte Forum. Without a visit to Syracuse this year, it was the only chance for Northeast Tar Heels to see the team in action. And as always, the Boston Carolina Club had an extremely good turnout.

7. Ho-hum, another double-double for Luke Maye. The difference is that this time he did it in just one half. Maye had 15 points and ten rebounds in the first half. That's the first time a Tar Heel has had a double-double in a half since...Maye last year against Boston College. That's Maye's fourth double-double in the last five games and his 13th this season.

8. It's been fun to watch the chemistry develop between Coby White and Luke Maye this year. There were times earlier this season that it looked like the two were sometimes in each other's way. That's no longer the case, as best exhibited by a play at the end of the first half. With Carolina inbounding the ball under its own basket, Maye got the inbounds pass from White, waited for White to curl to the corner, and then found the freshman for a three-pointer. That's a play that wouldn't have been made a month or two ago.

9. Some solid minutes off the bench for Brandon Robinson. The reserve guard had four assists in eight first half minutes, and also communicated and moved very well on defense--including some tough on the ball defense on Chris Herren Jr. that forced an Eagle shot clock violation.

10. If you're one of those Carolina fans who has always pondered joining the Rams Club but has never quite found the time, would the chance at winning a pair of free lower level tickets for Saturday's UNC-Duke showdown change your mind? We're giving away two tickets for the first top-five clash in Chapel Hill since 2008, and details on how to win are here.

11. Kenny Williams had missed his last 15 three-pointers after missing his first attempt of the game on Tuesday. But then he nailed two straight. You don't want to be greedy, but what a nice asset it would be for Carolina if Williams' perimeter touch returned in the months of March and--hopefully--April.

12. In addition to Maye's great performance, Johnson had a "quiet" double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Johnson made three of his seven three-point attempts and continues to have one of the best perimeter shooting season in school history.

13. The most incredible road ACC stat you'll read about the Tar Heels this year: Carolina played 180 second half minutes on the road this season. They trailed for just seven minutes and 22 seconds of those 180 minutes. In other words, Carolina trailed for just four percent of the second half minutes it played on the road this season in the toughest conference in college basketball.

Players Mentioned

Luke Maye

Brandon Robinson

Coby White

Kenny Williams

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