UNC Basketball Moments After – UNC VS Va. Tech 91-59 Win 

UNC Tar Heels Basketball Team Steam-Rolls the Virginia Tech Hokies and Win Their Sixth Straight Game

by Derrick Isaiah Clyburn

The North Carolina basketball team aimed to win their sixth straight game when they battled against Virginia Tech on Tuesday night. This game against the Hokies was a big win for the Tar Heels with the NCAA tournament hopes on the line. It was a tight game early between the two squads. UNC was generating some quality looks offensively in the opening minutes, but was very sloppy on some possessions, leading to 5 early turnovers which the Hokies took full advantage of. North Carolina also struggled to secure defensive rebounds, allowing Virginia Tech to have second-chance opportunities that led to 7 points. With just under 7 minutes left in the first half, the game was tied 23-23.

Over the next few minutes, Carolina would go on an ensuing run that was fueled by their defense. Once UNC picked up their intensity, energy, effort, and ball pressure defensively, the Heels forced turnovers that led to transition baskets and completely disrupted Virginia Tech’s rhythm offensively. UNC pushed the pace offensively and the Hokies couldn’t keep up. The Tar Heels finished the first half outscoring Virginia Tech 23-5, giving Carolina a 46-29 lead going into halftime. RJ Davis and Seth Trimble led the way for the Heels with 15 and 12 points respectively. This marks the sixth ACC game UNC has led by double figures at halftime and in the fifth straight game they have scored at least 46 points and shot 50% from the field. 

In the second half, the Tar Heels completely took over the game. North Carolina came out of halftime and went on a 14-6 run to push their lead to 25. Virginia Tech had no answers for Carolina’s offense and the Heels were swarming around playing stifling defense against the Hokies’ offensive attack. UNC’s ball movement was excellent throughout the second half, and it led to quality shots every time down the floor including several threes. North Carolina made a season-high 15 threes in this game with RJ Davis, Ian Jackson, and Drake Powell all hitting multiple threes, and Elliott Cadeau, Cade Tyson, Jaelyn Withers, and Jalen Washington hitting at least one three. The Tar Heels shot 58% from the floor and 53% from behind the arc and had 24 assists on 33 made baskets. UNC outscored the Hokies 45-27 after halftime, and after being tied 23-23 with just over six minutes left in the first half, ended the game on a 68-36 run. Carolina dominated Virginia Tech in every facet of the game, held Virginia Tech to just 37% from the field, and cruised their way to a 91-59 win. 

UNC Stats

Final

	1	2	T
UNC	46	45	91
VT	29	30	59

 

UNC Bright Spots  

Ian Jackson had 19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. 

Seth Trimble had 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 assist, and 1 block 

RJ Davis had 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. 

Drake Powell had 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block. 

Ven Allen-Lubin had 10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. 

Needs Work  

The Tar Heels must start games better with their intensity, energy, effort, and ball pressure defensively. They have allowed teams to get too comfortable on offense early in games and must come out with more focus and attention to detail on that end of the floor. The Tar Heels must prioritize every possession on both sides of the floor. Every play and possession matters and should be just as important as the last. They cannot afford to get lazy and not give their all on either end of the floor. These are the habits that they can build to help them as they get ready to make a run in March. 

Final Observations 

The Tar Heels improve to 20-11 on the season, 13-6 in ACC. Carolina secures their 65^th 20-win season. They have moved up to 4^th place in the ACC conference standings and have won six straight games, which is their longest winning streak this season. The Tar Heels continue to play impressive basketball over the last few games and are getting better with each game. The players have not just bought into their roles, but they are now thriving in their roles. The Heels are back to playing Carolina basketball, which is playing hard, smart, and together. They are playing beautiful unselfish basketball, and everyone who touches the floor contributes.

Carolina has shown they are at their best when they have a balanced scoring attack. At least 5 players have scored in double figures in the last 3 games, which has led to their best stretch of offensive basketball averaging 91 points over the six games. The Tar Heels are 10-1 this season when they score 90+ points. Carolina is playing their best basketball at the right time and with one regular season game left can continue to build on their recent success. You must give the coaching staff credit for righting the ship at the end of the season. Their decision to make the change to a more traditional lineup on the floor at all times has helped improve their defense tremendously, and the offensive adjustments emphasize ball movement and paint scoring. Next up is Duke on Saturday, March 8 on ESPN at 6:30 P.M. This will be the Tar Heels’s biggest game of the season, and a win will undoubtedly secure them a spot in this year’s NCAA tournament.