UNC Basketball Moments After – UNC vs. Wake Forest 68-59 Win
UNC Tar Heels Basketball Team Scraps and Fights Its Way to Victory Against the Demon Deacons in the Quarter Finals of the ACC Tournament
by Derrick Clyburn
The North Carolina basketball team faced off against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the Quarter Finals of the ACC Tournament. The game started off with a Wake Forest 11-2 run. The Tar Heels were ice cold missing their first 9 out of 10 shots. Then they started attacking the basket which allowed them to get to the free throw line and they began to settle down. UNC would go on an 18-4 run to take the lead.
Both teams played a very physical scrappy game with energy and effort. The defense dictated the day in this game. Both teams went on 3 and 4-minute scoring droughts. It wasn’t a clean or pretty game but both teams were fighting for an opportunity to make it to the Big Dance. The Tar Heels would take a 2-point lead going into intermission.
In the second half, the Tar Heels would come out with more energy and intensity and would go on a quick 9-2 run to give them a little breathing room but the Demon Deacons would fight their way back to within 2 points. The game would go back and forth with scoring droughts in between. North Carolina would finally get a handle on the game after trading leads with just 3 minutes left to play. RJ Davis and Jae’lyn Withers hit 3-pointers from opposite corners to help finish off Wake Forest to advance to the Semi-Finals against Duke. The Tar Heels defense held the Demon Deacons to 9.1% from the 3-point line.
UNC Stats
Final
| 1 | 2 | T | |
| UNC | 33 | 35 | 68 |
| WAKE | 31 | 28 | 59 |
UNC Bright Spots
RJ Davis had 23 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Ven Allen-Lubin had 10 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 assist, and 1 steal.
Seth Trimble had 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Jaelyn Withers had 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Needs Work
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. It’s win or go-home time so leave it all on the floor every time you play.
The Tar Heels must have better ball movement. They played too much isolation ball and had only 8 assists which is unacceptable. Being aggressive and getting to the free throw line is a staple for this team so they must take advantage of those opportunities.
Final Observations
The Tar Heels improved to 22-12 and have an opportunity with each win in the ACC tournament to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament. The Tar Heels fought hard and scrapped on both ends of the floor today, showing that they are a tougher team than they were earlier in the season. Hubert has this team playing more connected and understands their roles better. Next up is Duke in the Semi-Finals Friday at 7 pm on ESPN.
Without the good shooting of RJ Davis and Cadaeu, the outstanding play of Ven- Allen Lubin, this game would surely have been a lost. Hopefully the team will start the game tomorrow with better success on offense. Will there be will another surprise player to come forth ? The game of basketball for any player is like a open door, it stays open only for a certain moment of time. The plays must be made when there’s a opportunity to make them. When the door closes and the player has not given his/ her best effort, (woulda, coulda) regrets will not satisfy the days going forward.