CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina finally won a basketball game Saturday, but it wasn’t easy or pretty.
The Tar Heels trailed for most of the contest but closed the game hitting free throws and getting enough stops to beat Georgia Tech, 68-65, at the Smith Center.
The Tar Heels improved to 5-4 and 1-0 in the ACC, while the Yellow Jackets dropped to 4-5 and 0-1.
Seth Trimble led UNC with 19 points followed by 16 for RJ Davis and 15 by Ian Jackson.
1st Half
TV TO – GT 8, UNC 4 with 15:29 left in the half
UNC 1-7 FGs (0-3 from 3)
GT 3-9 FGs (2-4 from 3)
Rebs – GT 8-4 (2-0 OR)
Cadeau already shot 4 times – 1 make
2 Subs for UNC:J
---Wash for Lubin
---Jackson for Cadeau
Notes: The Tar Heels did not have a great deal of energy out of the gate and it showed on both ends of the floor and the glass.
TV TO – GT 14, UNC 8 with 11:16 left in the half
That segment: GT 6-4
UNC 3-12 FGs (0-4 from 3)
GT 5-17 FGs (3-6 from 3)
Rebs – GT 11-10 4-2 OR)
2nd chance pts – GT 3-2
Assists – GT 2-0
TOs – UNC 5-3
Pts off TOs – GT 5-2
Fast break pts – UNC 4-0
Notes: The intensity picked up some on the glass, but the offensive flow simply wasn’t there still. Defense allowed too many open looks.
TV TO – GT 16, UNC 16 with 7:52 left in the half
That segment: UNC 8-2
UNC 6-17 FGs (0-6 from 3)
GT 6-24 FGs (3-9 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 16-13
*It was 11-4 GT on rebs – it’s 12-5 UNC since
Pts in paint – UNC 12-4
Fast break pts – UNC 10-0
Bench pts – UNC 4-3
RJ 0 pts – 0-3 FGs
Notes: Seth Trimble ignited a spurt by the Tar Heels that caught the Yellow Jackets with a personal 6-0 run. Defense created some buckets, and Trimble converting at the rim, including a thunderous slam, got the building energized.
TV TO – UNC 26, GT 22 with 3:16 left in the half
That segment: UNC 10-6
UNC 10-23 FGs (2-10 from 3)
GT 8-29 FGs (4-11 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 19-16 (GT 5-2 OR)
Pts in paint – UNC 16-6
Fast break pts – UNC 10-0
Blocks – GT 1-0
Steals – UNC 6-3
Notes: More energy from the Tar Heels and they finally started making shots.
Final segment:
*GT 8-5
The tallest Tar Heel to score in the first half is 6-foot-4 (Ian Jackson). The Heels ended up hitting a few threes, including a late one by Jackson, and the Heels scored 23 points over the final 10:35 of the half.
2nd half
TV TO – UNC 36, GT 31 with 15:14 left
That segment: UNC 5-1
UNC 14-37 FGs (3-18 from 3)
GT 12-40 FGs (4-13 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 30-26 (GT 7-6 OR)
2nd chance pts – GT 7-5
Fast break pts – UNC 12-0
Pts in paint – UNC 20-14
Notes: A missed three by Davis after two missed free throws got the crowd going, because they will get a free Crumbl cookie, and then Jackson missed a three after a defensive stop. The Heels continued missing opportunities to put a sting into the Jackets. Jackson converted in transition on the next possession, but the segment was not very appealing for either team.
TV TO – UNC 40, GT 39 with 11:56 left
That segment: GT 8-4
This half…
UNC 4-17 FG (0-6 from 3)
GT 2-13 FGs (2-7 from 3)
Game…
UNC 16-44 FGs (3-19 from 3)
GT 14-48 FGs (6-18 from 3)
Notes: This game isn’t exactly poetry in motion. The teams are a combined 6-for-30 this half. Both teams each missed a dunk on consecutive possessions.
TV TO – GT 50, UNC 49 with 7:47 left
That segment:: 10-10
UNC scored on 23 of 58 possessions
UNC averaging .845 points per possession
GT 5-12 on layups / 1-3 on dunks
GT scored on 21 of 61 possessions (34.3%)
Final Two segments:
UNC 19-15
*More turnovers by Elliot Cadeau, but he hit a huge three from Davis for a 62-57 lead with 2:26 left to play. Jackson scored for a 7-point lead, UNC’s largest since the Dayton game in Hawaii 12 days ago. Tech cut it to 64-61 getting a bucket and free throws after questionable UNC possessions. But the Heels salted it away at the line over the final 18.1 seconds.
Tech hit two FTs cutting it to 66-63 after Ven-Allen committed his fifth foul. Jackson then proceeded to convert a pair from the line for a 68-63 lead with 6.4 left.
