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University of North Carolina Athletics
Drake Powell
Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI
Lucas: JCSU Rapid Reactions
October 27, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
Quick takeaways from the final exhibition game.
By Adam Lucas
1. Carolina put seven players in double figures on the way to a 127-63 exhibition win over Johnson C. Smith. Ian Jackson led Carolina with 21 points, and Seth Trimble and RJ Davis added 15 points apiece. Ven-Allen Lubin added Carolina's only double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
2. As always in this type of game, it's less about what Carolina specifically did against Johnson C. Smith and more about what Carolina did overall that could be replicated against any opponent. The Tar Heels are, obviously, more gifted and talented than the Golden Bulls, which showed up in some of the overall figures. The Heels shot 63 percent from the field while holding the Golden Bulls to 36 percent, had a 26-6 edge in points off turnovers and had a 72-24 edge in points in the paint with a 54-24 rebounding lead.
3. Carolina's starters were Elliot Cadeau, Trimble, Davis, Cade Tyson and Jalen Washington. The first reserve was Lubin, who entered the game for Washington. Proving there are still more minutes to be earned, the second half starters were different, as Davis and Tyson joined Jackson, Jae'Lyn Withers and Lubin.
4. There will be plenty of deserved attention for Trimble's improved offensive game, but he also showed a playmaking knack in the first half. The junior had an angle to drive to the basket but instead chose to take one dribble and then hit Cade Tyson for a wide open corner three-pointer. That's a play the Tar Heels need Trimble to make—and a shot they need Tyson to make. Both of those things happened on that sequence. Trimble also ran a nice two-on-one fast break with Davis in the second half and threaded a bounce pass through traffic. Davis was fouled on the shot attempt, but as Dean Smith would've said, it was an "assist the way we keep them." Even without that one, Trimble had two assists and no turnovers.
5. That would be a huge bonus to add to Trimble's scoring. Put the shot-making of he and Davis with the distribution of Cadeau (eight assists) and it's easy to understand how someone could make a case for Carolina possessing one of the nation's best backcourts.
6. While Tyson's numbers weren't huge, his two made three-pointers were exactly the shots he was brought to Chapel Hill to make—‚an open corner three-pointer and a hit-ahead from Davis in transition after a made Johnson C. Smith basket. If he makes those shots, gets to the free throw line fairly consistently and rebounds, he's doing exactly what the Heels need.
7. Those free throw numbers were another encouraging area. Carolina hit 30-for-37 from the charity stripe. They have the potential to be a very good free throw shooting team, with Davis one of the best free throw shooters in school history and Tyson, Trimble and Jackson all potentially very good at the line.
8. The space around the basket as Carolina frequently plays without a traditional post man on the block created lots of room for Cadeau and Washington to work together with Washington setting screens and then rolling to the rim. Hubert Davis called his use it or lose it timeout before the end of the first half and drew up just such a set; Cadeau hit Washington for an easy basket and a 25-point halftime lead.
9. There should also be plenty of easy baskets in transition. With Trimble, Jackson and Drake Powell, the Tar Heels have some very exciting finishers on the break. Jackson ignited the crowd by attempting a second half dunk over a Golden Bulls defender that didn't connect, but then a couple trips later he threw down an open-court, windmill jam. It's easy to see why Hubert Davis wants to push the pace--the Heels have the pieces to play well at a fast tempo.
10. Powell is going to get transition opportunities because he's such a unique defensive piece. He's spent some time in practice guarding the opposing point guard, and he has a knack for getting into passing lanes near midcourt and creating steals that lead to easy baskets.Â
11. The next time we see the Tar Heels, it'll be for real. Carolina opens the regular season on Nov. 4 at the Smith Center against Elon (single game tickets are available).Â
1. Carolina put seven players in double figures on the way to a 127-63 exhibition win over Johnson C. Smith. Ian Jackson led Carolina with 21 points, and Seth Trimble and RJ Davis added 15 points apiece. Ven-Allen Lubin added Carolina's only double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
2. As always in this type of game, it's less about what Carolina specifically did against Johnson C. Smith and more about what Carolina did overall that could be replicated against any opponent. The Tar Heels are, obviously, more gifted and talented than the Golden Bulls, which showed up in some of the overall figures. The Heels shot 63 percent from the field while holding the Golden Bulls to 36 percent, had a 26-6 edge in points off turnovers and had a 72-24 edge in points in the paint with a 54-24 rebounding lead.
3. Carolina's starters were Elliot Cadeau, Trimble, Davis, Cade Tyson and Jalen Washington. The first reserve was Lubin, who entered the game for Washington. Proving there are still more minutes to be earned, the second half starters were different, as Davis and Tyson joined Jackson, Jae'Lyn Withers and Lubin.
4. There will be plenty of deserved attention for Trimble's improved offensive game, but he also showed a playmaking knack in the first half. The junior had an angle to drive to the basket but instead chose to take one dribble and then hit Cade Tyson for a wide open corner three-pointer. That's a play the Tar Heels need Trimble to make—and a shot they need Tyson to make. Both of those things happened on that sequence. Trimble also ran a nice two-on-one fast break with Davis in the second half and threaded a bounce pass through traffic. Davis was fouled on the shot attempt, but as Dean Smith would've said, it was an "assist the way we keep them." Even without that one, Trimble had two assists and no turnovers.
5. That would be a huge bonus to add to Trimble's scoring. Put the shot-making of he and Davis with the distribution of Cadeau (eight assists) and it's easy to understand how someone could make a case for Carolina possessing one of the nation's best backcourts.
6. While Tyson's numbers weren't huge, his two made three-pointers were exactly the shots he was brought to Chapel Hill to make—‚an open corner three-pointer and a hit-ahead from Davis in transition after a made Johnson C. Smith basket. If he makes those shots, gets to the free throw line fairly consistently and rebounds, he's doing exactly what the Heels need.
7. Those free throw numbers were another encouraging area. Carolina hit 30-for-37 from the charity stripe. They have the potential to be a very good free throw shooting team, with Davis one of the best free throw shooters in school history and Tyson, Trimble and Jackson all potentially very good at the line.
8. The space around the basket as Carolina frequently plays without a traditional post man on the block created lots of room for Cadeau and Washington to work together with Washington setting screens and then rolling to the rim. Hubert Davis called his use it or lose it timeout before the end of the first half and drew up just such a set; Cadeau hit Washington for an easy basket and a 25-point halftime lead.
9. There should also be plenty of easy baskets in transition. With Trimble, Jackson and Drake Powell, the Tar Heels have some very exciting finishers on the break. Jackson ignited the crowd by attempting a second half dunk over a Golden Bulls defender that didn't connect, but then a couple trips later he threw down an open-court, windmill jam. It's easy to see why Hubert Davis wants to push the pace--the Heels have the pieces to play well at a fast tempo.
10. Powell is going to get transition opportunities because he's such a unique defensive piece. He's spent some time in practice guarding the opposing point guard, and he has a knack for getting into passing lanes near midcourt and creating steals that lead to easy baskets.Â
11. The next time we see the Tar Heels, it'll be for real. Carolina opens the regular season on Nov. 4 at the Smith Center against Elon (single game tickets are available).Â
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