UNC Tar Heels Basketball Team is Embarrassed in a Blowout Loss to Kentucky
by Derrick Isaiah Clyburn
After canceling their game against UCLA due to several players and coaches being in covid protocols, the North Carolina basketball team was able to find a new opponent in Kentucky to face on CBS on Saturday night. The Tar Heels found out they were playing Kentucky two days before game day, and it must have affected them because they were not ready to play.
The Heels played their worst game of the season tonight. Kentucky completely outplayed UNC on both ends of the floor and led the game from start to finish. In the first half, the Tar Heels shot 31% from the field and gave up 11 offensive rebounds to Kentucky.
North Carolina could not find any rhythm offensively and they were lacking the energy and effort on defense to stop anything Kentucky was doing offensively. Armando Bacot was the only bright spot of the first half with 17 points and was the main reason the Heels were only down by 11 going into halftime.
In the second half, things only got worse for UNC. The Tar Heels continued to struggle offensively and defensively they had no answers for Kentucky’s offense led by Sahvir Wheeler, who had 26 points. Carolina showed no passion, intensity, energy, or effort throughout the entire game. Kentucky took full advantage, got whatever they wanted on the perimeter and interior offensively and the game got completely out of hand with the Wildcats extending their lead to as much as 35. The Heels were completely outhustled and outplayed all game long, which resulted in this completely horrific performance and a 29-point loss.
UNC Game Stats
1st 2nd TOT
North Carolina 29 40 69
#21 Kentucky 40 58 98
North Carolina
| STARTERS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | ||||||||
| D. Garcia F | 22 | 2-6 | 0-1 | 2-3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | ||||||||
| A. Bacot F | 31 | 8-13 | 0-0 | 6-9 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 22 | ||||||||
| R.J. Davis G | 29 | 3-8 | 0-3 | 4-6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | ||||||||
| C. Love G | 27 | 2-8 | 0-2 | 4-4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 8 | ||||||||
| L. Black G | 27 | 1-4 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||
| BENCH | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | ||||||||
| J. McKoy F | 7 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
| B. Manek F | 16 | 3-6 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||
| D. Dunn G | 10 | 2-4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||
| D. Styles G | 7 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||
| A. Harris G | 16 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||
| K. Walton G | 8 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| TEAM | 23-53 | 1-13 | 22-28 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 69 | |||||||||
| 43.4% | 7.7% | 78.6% | |||||||||||||||||||
Kentucky
| STARTERS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| O. Tshiebwe F | 22 | 7-12 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 16 |
| K. Brooks Jr. F | 18 | 5-10 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| T. Washington Jr. G | 20 | 4-9 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| S. Wheeler G | 32 | 12-15 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 26 |
| K. Grady G | 31 | 6-8 | 5-7 | 1-2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| BENCH | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| D. Collins F | 5 | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| B. Canada F | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J. Toppin F | 20 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 3-4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| B. Hopkins F | 9 | 2-3 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| L. Ware F | 13 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| K. Watkins G | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Z. Payne G | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| D. Mintz G | 27 | 1-7 | 1-4 | 3-4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| TEAM | 39-72 | 8-15 | 12-17 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 20 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 21 | 98 | |
| 54.2% | 53.3% | 70.6% |
UNC Bright Spots
Armando Bacot had 22 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block.
RJ Davis had 10 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal.
Needs Work
The North Carolina basketball team needs to play with more passion, intensity, energy, effort and toughness to start off games and carry it over to the full 40-minute game. They need to match the intensity and focus of the other team more often early in the game. In their losses, this season the Tar Heels have not done that. In some games, they’ve been able to overcome their slow and lethargic starts to games, but it cost them this game. It is starting become a bad habit for this team when they face the better teams in the country so it is definitely something this team needs to address.
The Coaching staff has to a do a better job of making in-game adjustments to stop the other team’s momentum. The UNC guards have to understand when their shots are not falling how to impact the game in other ways to help the team win. It seems as if when they are not scoring their effort in any other facet of the game drops dramatically, which is totally unacceptable and detrimental to the team.
Defensively, they have to be much better in all areas. They need to be better at the point of attack, with their help side defense, against dribble penetration, with their post defense, and with their rim protection.
They also need to be better on the defensive glass. They allowed 17 offensive rebounds in this game, which is totally unacceptable.
Final Observations
This had to be one of the worst performances and losses in UNC history especially on national television. Whatever this team did in preparation for this game should not be repeated ever because this was a completely embarrassing performance. They were outplayed in all facets of the game and no adjustments were made to stop any of the successful things Kentucky was doing.
Armando Bacot was the only player that played decent today and that is totally unacceptable. The guards collectively had their worst game of the season on both ends of the floor and did not do a good job of leading this team today. Everyone on the team and coaching staff has to do better.
The coaching staff needs to do everything in their power to make sure this team does not play like that again. They must make sure these guys are ready to play and if their original gameplan is not working they must be willing to make adjustments to it to help win these types of games.
In the three losses it has been become evident that true point guards that are quick and fast give our combo scoring guards Love and Davis a hard time. They seemed to get rattled and it effects the whole team because the team success goes as the guards go. Coach Davis and staff have to be aware of these flaws and use more zone defense to slow down the dribble penetration.
The Tar Heels have the talent to be a good team but they need to come out every game and play with purpose, passion, energy and toughness. Every team they face is going to give Carolina their best shot so they cannot have letdown games. Next up is Appalachian State on Tuesday.