Coming Together, Freshmen Spark UNC's Eruption
CHAPEL HILL - At the 12:27 mark in the first half of North Carolina’s 103-82 victory over Virginia Tech on Monday night, Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit his third 3-pointer in just over a three-minute span to give the Hokies a nine-point advantage.
A spirted Smith Center crowd had suddenly gone quiet, as the Tar Heels looked lackadaisical and the game was quickly trending away from them.
But then, almost out of nowhere, UNC’s ballyhooed freshmen trio flipped a switch.
In the next 10:22 of game action, Coby White, Nassir Little and Leaky Black combined for 21 points and four steals during a 26-7 run by UNC that reached 32-7 and was part of a 20-0 run that ended 20 second before halftime
White, who led the freshmen with 11 of those 21 points and finished with a game-high 27, said that stretch was the most fun he’d had on the basketball court all season.
“It was just a crazy feeling,” he said. “We were playing big in a big-time game and it was like we’re (the freshmen) finally here, we’re finally doing our thing. We just came ready to play.”
For Little, who finished with a career-high 23 points, including seven during that 10-minute span, the eruption was more than just a turning point in the game. It was a response to a negative perception that has followed him and UNC all season.
“It was good, man,” Little said. “It felt good to kind of have that swag about us. There’s a stigma about North Carolina not playing freshmen and I think we were kind of vibing with that and rocking out how we play.”
While Black didn’t put up the big numbers that his fellow freshmen did, he was still a key component during the run. Not only did he hit a big three to give UNC a 34-29 advantage with 3:12 left in the half, he also assisted a White three and had a steal that led to another.
“Leaky came up with some steals, he got some stops, I feel like he was diamond out there,” White said. “He was doing his thing, being Leaky.”
UNC Coach Roy Williams was also pleased with the play of his freshmen, particularly during that stretch, and has high expectations for each of them moving forward.
“I think all three of our freshmen are going to be very good players and I think that they’ll continue to get better and better,” he said.
The trio were so highly regarded coming into UNC the class was rated No. 3 in the nation despite just having three players. They hadn’t performed at such a high level simultaneously in any game prior to Monday.
But, when the Tar Heels needed it most, the freshmen responded against the tenth-ranked Hokies. And, for UNC, that’s a great sign for a team that continues to build its identity.