Lucas: FSU Rapid Reactions

By Adam Lucas

1. It might not be March yet, but it feels like March. Carolina ripped out to an early lead and then survived a late Florida State surge to pick up a key win they had to have, 77-66.

2. It will be interesting to hear Hubert Davis in the postgame. It felt like three-point shooting covered up a game that wasn't Carolina's finest. But the perimeter shooting was so good that some of the other "discipline and details," as the head coach often says, were outweighed. The Tar Heels were 14-for-29 from the arc (but just 3-for-11 in the second half, when things got tighter). The Tar Heels are now 9-0 when making at least 35 percent from three-point range this season and survived a push by a team that just came off a 25-point comeback and had the crowd believing it was possible again. The Tar Heels had just enough poise to win.

3. Leaky Black has played very well under the radar in the last month, and Monday he broke out. His finish with authority with 90 seconds left felt like it sealed the game. Black had 18 points (on 6-for-8 shooting) and nine rebounds to go with his three assists. He has nine or more rebounds in six of the last nine games and continues to play very good defense.

4. Anyone who says they thought these first half stats would lead to an 18-point Carolina lead is lying: one made two-point basket after the 15:56 mark, zero points for Armando Bacot, two made two-point baskets in the half, two points in the paint, Bacot limited to eight minutes by foul trouble.

5. And yet, that's exactly what happened. The Tar Heels hit 11-for-18 from three in the first half, a blistering 61.1 percent. Those 11 made three-pointers are more than Carolina made in all but one entire ACC game this year (15 against Clemson) and more than Carolina made in all but two overall games this year (15 also against The Citadel).

6. It's been a tough three days for Bacot after dealing with Virginia's post doubles and Florida State's length. He is a combined 4-10 (0-for-4 on Monday) with 14 rebounds in those two games. The Tar Heels will need more in the post against Duke on Saturday night. Another stunning stat: Carolina was outscored 28-14 in the paint by FSU. The 14 tied a season low, which was matched against Gardner-Webb.

7. Carolina's defense at the rim has been better in the last week. The Tar Heels went into the Virginia game with 11 blocks in the last four games. But they've racked up ten in the past two games. A big part of that is Nance, who has five in the last two games after accumulating five in the previous six games. Even when he didn't get the block on Monday, he affected several shots.

8. The legend of the Lemon Oreos continues to grow. A Tar Heel fan in the Tucker Center stands had a giant Fathead of a package of the Nance-approved cookies. There also was a special delivery of Lemon Oreos waiting for the team when they checked into the hotel in Tallahassee on Sunday night. Nance had a double-double with 15 points and ten rebounds against the Noles and hit three of his six three-pointers.

9. Here's the thing about Hubert Davis and his usage of the bench: he's going to use whatever player he feels like is the best matchup for that opponent at that particular time. That's how Dontrez Styles--an athletic player who could match up with the Seminoles--played ten minutes on Monday. That put him in good position to succeed, and he had some solid minutes, finishing with four points and a rebound.

10. Black played in his 152nd career game on Monday night. That ties Deon Thompson for the Carolina and Atlantic Coast Conference record.

11. And now attention turns to a big Saturday night in the Smith Center against Duke. In addition to it being Senior Day, the Tar Heels are playing for ACC Tournament seeding and to build a better NCAA Tournament resume. The most likely scenario for the Tar Heels is a seven seed in Greensboro, but there are combinations that would put the Heels in the eight spot.

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Armando Bacot

Leaky Black

Dontrez Styles

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