UNC Tar Heels Basketball Team Blast Marquette in the NCAA Round of 64
by Derrick Clyburn
The North Carolina basketball team came out on fire from the start hitting eight first half 3 pointers, six by Caleb Love which broke the game wide open. The Tar Heels got the shots that they wanted and the offensive rebounds when they missed those shots to take a 28 point half-time lead.
Much was made of this #8 vs. #9 matchup that it should a close grind-out game, but the Tar Heels had other plans. They put the beat down on the Golden Eagles from start to finish. UNC kept their foot on the neck of Marquette and made sure not to give them any hope by raining 3 pointers and being on the receiving end of alley-oops and easy dunks.
Brady Manek had a career day as a Tar Heel with 28 points and 11 rebounds including hitting five 3 pointers. R.J. Davis had a career-high 12 assists and North Carolina as a team moved the ball well with 29 assists on 34 made baskets. Leaky Black shut down Marquette’s leading scorer Justin Lewis who went 2-15 for 6 points.
UNC Game Stats
1st 2nd TOT
North Carolina 53 42 95
Marquette 25 38 63
North Carolina
| STARTERS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | |||||||
| A. Bacot F | — | 6-13 | 0-0 | 5-5 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | |||||||
| B. Manek F | — | 10-15 | 5-10 | 3-3 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 28 | |||||||
| R.J. Davis G | — | 1-10 | 1-5 | 1-2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | |||||||
| C. Love G | — | 6-15 | 6-13 | 5-7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 23 | |||||||
| L. Black G | — | 2-4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |||||||
| BENCH | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | |||||||
| J. McKoy F | — | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| R. McAdoo F | — | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| C. Lebo G | — | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| P. Johnson G | — | 5-7 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11 | |||||||
| D. Dunn G | — | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||||
| D. Styles G | — | 3-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | |||||||
| K. Walton G | — | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |||||||
| TEAM | 34-74 | 13-35 | 14-17 | 15 | 37 | 52 | 28 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 95 | ||||||||
| 45.9% | 37.1% | 82.4% | ||||||||||||||||||
Marquette
| STARTERS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| O. Prosper F | — | 6-10 | 4-8 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| J. Lewis F | — | 2-15 | 2-7 | 0-0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| K. Kuath F | — | 3-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| T. Kolek G | — | 1-5 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| D. Morsell G | — | 5-12 | 0-3 | 1-4 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| BENCH | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| D. Joplin F | — | 2-4 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| O. Ighodaro F | — | 3-8 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| M. Kennedy F | — | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| E. Ellis G | — | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K. Jones G | — | 1-4 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| S. Mitchell G | — | 3-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| B. Carney G | — | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| G. Elliott G | — | 0-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM | 26-73 | 8-31 | 3-8 | 13 | 24 | 37 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 63 | |
| 35.6% | 25.8% | 37.5% |
UNC Bright Spots
Brady Manek had 28 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks.
Caleb Love had 23 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Armando Bacot had 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Puff Johnson had 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 block.
Needs Work
The Tar Heels guards need to stay aggressive on offense to keep the pressure on their opponents.
Final Observations
North Carolina gave the first punch and didn’t look back, That is all Coach Davis could ask for to start off the NCAA tournament. They played with energy and intensity and hit their shots. This is what will be needed to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
The Tar Heels looked like they were having fun and just balling out. It’s great to see this team continue to play at a high level. No none wants to see a team that is peaking and has an inside-out game to put pressure on opponents. They need to stay focused and don’t anyone lightly. This win or go home time. Next up Baylor on Saturday TBA.