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University of North Carolina Athletics
Christian Keeling
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Lucas: Rapid Reactions
February 25, 2020 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
Quick takeaways from the rematch with NC State.
By Adam Lucas
1. What a fantastic finish for the Tar Heels. Man, it's nice to say that again.
2. Garrison Brooks played through contact and even through his goggles on his way to another terrific performance against NC State. The junior finished with 30 points and nine rebounds, but the highlight will be his 14-16 performance from the free throw line, including 6-for-6 in the final 60 seconds to seal the victory. Brooks has had a rollercoaster at the line this year, but was clutch when Carolina needed it. Brooks helped Carolina control the rebounding game, with a 38-30 edge, and the Tar Heels had a 13-6 advantage in second chance points.
3. The perimeter complement to Brooks was Christian Keeling, who was terrific as usual from the midrange and even tossed in a couple of three-pointers. Keeling's hot streak midway through the second half pushed Carolina out to a lead it never relinquished.
4. More tough injury luck, as Brandon Robinson reinjured the same ankle after playing 8:44 in the first half. Robinson did not return in the first half and played just 19:37. The depth-shy Tar Heels essentially used a seven-player rotation. Armando Bacot played just 13 minutes and was largely ineffective (1-for-5 from the field). Most of his minutes went to Justin Pierce, who was also 1-for-5, but added five rebounds--four of them offensive, a key area in the game for Carolina--and a team-high three steals.
5. Carolina's defense on State's high pick and roll was not great, especially early. But the Wolfpack wasn't able to use that set as frequently once Carolina built a double-digit lead, and Carolina was able to contain Markell Johnson (7-for-16, 21 points and 10 assists) just enough to get the win.
6. What a roller coaster in the final 90 seconds of the first half. Carolina turned it over twice, but so did the Wolfpack, and Andrew Platek managed to poke the ball away from an unsuspecting Markell Johnson to create a Leaky Black layup that gave the Tar Heels a three-point lead and some momentum going into the break.
7. It was a little concerning that State's best defender and one of the team's most dynamic players, Devon Daniels, only played six minutes in the first half but Carolina only built a three-point lead out of it. Granted, the Tar Heels had to recover from a poor 13-2 beginning to the game, but they needed a bigger cushion when Daniels was out. Daniels finished with just ten points.
8. Being careless with the ball helped create that early Wolfpack advantage. The Tar Heels turned it over five times in the first 3:30 of the game, then went through a solid dozen minutes with only a couple of turnovers, and then turned it over twice more in the final 90 seconds.
10. Great to see 2009 Most Outstanding Player Wayne Ellington at the game. Ellington now plays for the New York Knicks.
11. This season should forever put to rest any questions about Smith Center crowds. The building was again basically packed, and consistently loud. That's been the case throughout this season even as the Tar Heels have been the only team in the ACC with a losing home record. Carolina is one of a tiny handful of teams in the country that could put over 20,000 people in the building for a weeknight 9 p.m. tip to support a 10-17 team.
12. The victory continued an amazing Carolina basketball streak. The Tar Heels have now recorded a home-and-home sweeep of at least one conference foe in every year the Atlantic Coast Conference has existed. The Tar Heels, of course, also won in Raleigh and completed the sweep on Tuesday.
13. Roy Williams is now 37-4 against NC State all-time as a head coach. Even against a Wolfpack team that desperately needed a victory for postseason hopes, Williams was able to find a way to will the Tar Heels to the win.
14. Cole Anthony had a "quiet" 19 points, which will essentially maintain his season scoring average of 19.6 points per game. Anthony is on pace to have the highest points per game average in history by a UNC freshman (Tyler Hansbrough currently leads that category at 18.9). Anthony had five assists against five turnovers but also added two steals. He was essential to helping Carolina handle State's late-game pressure, including one how-did-he-do-that escape from a triple-team near midcourt.
1. What a fantastic finish for the Tar Heels. Man, it's nice to say that again.
2. Garrison Brooks played through contact and even through his goggles on his way to another terrific performance against NC State. The junior finished with 30 points and nine rebounds, but the highlight will be his 14-16 performance from the free throw line, including 6-for-6 in the final 60 seconds to seal the victory. Brooks has had a rollercoaster at the line this year, but was clutch when Carolina needed it. Brooks helped Carolina control the rebounding game, with a 38-30 edge, and the Tar Heels had a 13-6 advantage in second chance points.
3. The perimeter complement to Brooks was Christian Keeling, who was terrific as usual from the midrange and even tossed in a couple of three-pointers. Keeling's hot streak midway through the second half pushed Carolina out to a lead it never relinquished.
4. More tough injury luck, as Brandon Robinson reinjured the same ankle after playing 8:44 in the first half. Robinson did not return in the first half and played just 19:37. The depth-shy Tar Heels essentially used a seven-player rotation. Armando Bacot played just 13 minutes and was largely ineffective (1-for-5 from the field). Most of his minutes went to Justin Pierce, who was also 1-for-5, but added five rebounds--four of them offensive, a key area in the game for Carolina--and a team-high three steals.
5. Carolina's defense on State's high pick and roll was not great, especially early. But the Wolfpack wasn't able to use that set as frequently once Carolina built a double-digit lead, and Carolina was able to contain Markell Johnson (7-for-16, 21 points and 10 assists) just enough to get the win.
6. What a roller coaster in the final 90 seconds of the first half. Carolina turned it over twice, but so did the Wolfpack, and Andrew Platek managed to poke the ball away from an unsuspecting Markell Johnson to create a Leaky Black layup that gave the Tar Heels a three-point lead and some momentum going into the break.
7. It was a little concerning that State's best defender and one of the team's most dynamic players, Devon Daniels, only played six minutes in the first half but Carolina only built a three-point lead out of it. Granted, the Tar Heels had to recover from a poor 13-2 beginning to the game, but they needed a bigger cushion when Daniels was out. Daniels finished with just ten points.
8. Being careless with the ball helped create that early Wolfpack advantage. The Tar Heels turned it over five times in the first 3:30 of the game, then went through a solid dozen minutes with only a couple of turnovers, and then turned it over twice more in the final 90 seconds.
10. Great to see 2009 Most Outstanding Player Wayne Ellington at the game. Ellington now plays for the New York Knicks.
11. This season should forever put to rest any questions about Smith Center crowds. The building was again basically packed, and consistently loud. That's been the case throughout this season even as the Tar Heels have been the only team in the ACC with a losing home record. Carolina is one of a tiny handful of teams in the country that could put over 20,000 people in the building for a weeknight 9 p.m. tip to support a 10-17 team.
12. The victory continued an amazing Carolina basketball streak. The Tar Heels have now recorded a home-and-home sweeep of at least one conference foe in every year the Atlantic Coast Conference has existed. The Tar Heels, of course, also won in Raleigh and completed the sweep on Tuesday.
13. Roy Williams is now 37-4 against NC State all-time as a head coach. Even against a Wolfpack team that desperately needed a victory for postseason hopes, Williams was able to find a way to will the Tar Heels to the win.
14. Cole Anthony had a "quiet" 19 points, which will essentially maintain his season scoring average of 19.6 points per game. Anthony is on pace to have the highest points per game average in history by a UNC freshman (Tyler Hansbrough currently leads that category at 18.9). Anthony had five assists against five turnovers but also added two steals. He was essential to helping Carolina handle State's late-game pressure, including one how-did-he-do-that escape from a triple-team near midcourt.
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