UNC Tar Heels Basketball Team Struggles From the Perimeter and Allow the Panthers to Pull Off the Upset
by Derrick Clyburn
The North Carolina basketball team looked a little rusty coming off the Christmas holiday break except for Armando Bacot playing a noon game against Pittsburgh. The guards turned the ball over and were passive in attacking the Panther defense. The Tar Heels allowed Jamarius Burton to attack the basket and get to his strong hand for easy baskets. They didn’t have an answer for him all game. Burton scorched the Heels with 31 points.
R.J. Davis and Caleb Love were ineffective all game. They didn’t seem comfortable or locked in to the game. UNC didn’t play with consistent intensity. They led Pittsburgh for most of the game. Their lack of focus and decision-making caused North Carolina to struggle from the perimeter. Armando Bacot did his job in the post. He led the Tar Heels with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
UNC Game Stats
| 1 | 2 | T | |
| 25 North Carolina 9-5 | 40 | 34 | 74 |
| Pittsburgh 10-4 | 34 | 42 | 76 |
| STARTERS | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | PF | MIN | STL | BLK | TO |
| A. Bacot | 22 | 13 | 3 | 8/14 | 0/1 | 6/7 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| R. Davis | 16 | 5 | 2 | 4/11 | 1/5 | 7/8 | 4 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| P. Nance | 10 | 5 | 2 | 4/8 | 2/5 | 0/2 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| L. Black | 9 | 9 | 4 | 2/9 | 1/4 | 4/4 | 2 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| C. Love | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3/9 | 1/3 | 0/0 | 2 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| BENCH | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | PF | MIN | STL | BLK | TO |
| D. Dunn | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2/4 | 1/3 | 0/0 | 2 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| P. Johnson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 1/1 | 0/0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T. Nickel | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1/1 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| S. Trimble | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STARTERS | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | PF | MIN | STL | BLK | TO |
| J. Burton | 31 | 6 | 0 | 14/17 | 0/1 | 3/5 | 2 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| B. Hinson | 16 | 6 | 1 | 4/14 | 3/10 | 5/7 | 4 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| N. Cummings | 9 | 3 | 7 | 4/9 | 1/5 | 0/0 | 3 | 35 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| G. Elliott | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2/8 | 1/5 | 2/2 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| F. Federiko | 4 | 7 | 2 | 2/7 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 3 | 34 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| BENCH | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | PF | MIN | STL | BLK | TO |
| N. Sibande | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2/6 | 0/3 | 3/3 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| G. Diaz Graham | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1/1 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J. Diaz Graham | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0/1 | 0/1 | 0/0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
UNC Bright Spots
Armando Bacot had 22 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks.
R.J. Davis had 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Pete Nance had 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Needs Work
The Tar Heels have to do a better job of moving the ball to the open man. The ball got stuck on the perimeter again and the guards made poor decisions with the ball.
The guards need to adjust better to the physicality that the officials allow the opponent to pressure them with. They have to become the aggressor and be more decisive and intentional in how they attack the defense.
Hubert needs to use the trap and press throughout the game to break up the flow of their opponents when they get on a roll offensively. He allowed Jamarius Burton to score at will without double-teaming or trapping him. He torched whoever guarded him.
Final Observations
The Tar Heels now fall to 9-5 and 1-2 in the ACC. They seemed to have lost some of the energy that they were playing with before the Christmas break. Hubert has to make adjustments much quicker when players get hot against the Tar Heels. He allows them to get in their comfort zone without showing them different looks defensively.
North Carolina needs to get their focus and intensity back up and continue to pursue the goals that they have set for the rest of the season. Next up is Wake Forest Wednesday at 9 pm at Dean Dome.