UNC Tar Heels Basketball Team Cruise Past Syracuse into the Quarter- Finals
by Derrick Clyburn
This North Carolina basketball team is trying to rite their ship. It’s tournament time! Win or go home! UNC is not ready to go home just yet. After enduring a two-game losing streak. The Tar Heels stiff-armed Syracuse with a ten point lead or more, for most of the game. They patiently carved the Orangemen’s zone defense with cuts to the basket while not hoisting up twenty-five plus 3 pointers like they did against their last two opponents. North Carolina attacked the basket more and shot 28 free throws. Almost more than the shot in the last two games combined. Kenny Williams and Theo Pinson led the Tar Heels in scoring with 17 and 16 respectively.
UNC Game Stats
North Carolina
Box Score FG 3PT FT REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
- Pinson 4-9 0-0 8-10 11 6 2 1 2 3 16
- Maye 4-9 0-1 5-7 9 2 2 0 4 3 13
- Berry II 2-9 2-7 2-2 2 4 0 0 2 1 8
- Johnson 5-12 2-6 1-2 5 4 0 0 1 0 13
- Williams 7-11 2-5 1-1 3 2 3 1 0 4 17
- Rush 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Brooks 0-1 0-0 3-4 3 0 0 1 0 2 3
- Manley 2-5 0-0 2-2 3 0 0 0 0 0 6
- Miller 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Rohlman 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Huffman 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Ma 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Platek 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 1 1 0 0 1 2
- Robinson 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
- Woods 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
TEAM 25-57 6-19 22-28 42 20 8 4 11 16 78
43.9% 31.6% 78.6%
Syracuse
Box Score FG 3PT FT REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
- Brissett 7-14 5-7 1-2 10 0 1 1 1 3 20
- Dolezaj 2-5 0-0 2-2 5 0 0 1 1 1 6
- Chukwu 1-1 0-0 0-0 4 0 0 3 0 5 2
- Howard 4-18 1-7 3-3 2 4 3 0 7 3 12
- Battle 4-21 2-8 5-5 3 2 1 0 1 1 15
- Moyer 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Sidibe 2-3 0-0 0-2 10 0 0 0 0 5 4
- Herlihy 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Bayer 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Featherston 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Belbey 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Autry 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TEAM 20-63 8-23 11-14 37 6 5 5 12 18 59
31.7% 34.8% 78.6%
UNC Bright Spots
Kenny Williams had 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.
Theo Pinson had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Cameron Johnson had 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Needs Work
The two leading scorers Berry and Maye need to be more productive. They are averaging 19 points combined the last two games. They average over 35 points combined for the season.
Final Observations
The supporting cast has been carrying the team the last two games. For the Tar Heels to reach their postseason goals Berry and Maye must get back into a rhythm offensively. Roy needs to play Manley more down the stretch. He had 6 points and 3 rebounds in limited minutes, and he alters shots. Teams won’t be so eager to drive to the basket with him in the game. UNC needs to take it one game at a time. Win and move on, style doesn’t really matter from this point forward.