CHARLOTTE – A day after shooting lights out in a romp over Notre Dame, North Carolina had to dig deep down and grind its way to the winner’s circle in the Tar Heels eliminating Wake Forest, 68-59, in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament on Thursday at Spectrum Center.
The Tar Heels went a span of 9:40 in the second half without converting from the field, yet when Jae’Lyn Withers finally scored after 12 straight Carolina misses, it gave UNC a one-point lead because it defended with gusto eventually forcing the Demon Deacons to miss 15 of their last 17 shot attempts.
The officials let the players play which allowed the heat and physicality on the floor boil over at times. But unlike in Carolina’s loss at Wake in January, when the Tar Heels attempted only 10 free throws, they were 22-for-27 in this game. Aggressive attacking the Deacs paid off at the charity stripe.
Fifth-seed UNC (22-12) earned the right to face top-seed Duke on Friday night in the semifinals. The Blue Devils beat Georgia Tech in the first game Thursday, but will be without ACC Player of the Year Cooper Flagg and key front court player Maliq Brown, both of whom were injured during Thursday’s game.
RJ Davis led UNC with 23 points, including hitting a season-high five 3-pointers. Ven-Allen Lubin totaled 10 points and 13 rebounds giving him three double-doubles in the last four games. Seth Trimble also had 10 points. Jae’Lyn Withers finished with 9 points and 9 rebounds.
Carolina’s 32.1 shooting percentage is its lowest this season in a victory. Hubert Davis also became the third fastest UNC coach to 100 wins doing it in 143 games. Roy Williams did it in 129 games and Frank McGuire in 139 games. Dean Smith got his 100th win in his 154th game as head coach.
Here is How It Happened:
1st Half
TY TO – Wake 11, UNC 2 with 14:45 left in the half
UNC 1-7 FGs (0-2 from 3)
Wake 5-11 FGs (1-3 from 3)
Rebs – Wake 7-5 (1-0 OR Wake)
TOs – UNC 3-0
Pts off TOs – Wake 5-0
No Fouls or TOs on Wake
TV TO – Wake 14, UNC 9 with 11:10 left in the half
That segment: UNC 7-3
UNC 2-10 FGs (-4 from 3)
Wake 6-16 FGs (2-5 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 10-9 (1-1 OR)
Points in paint – Wake 4-0
TOs – UNC 5-1
RJ 0-1 / Withers 3 rebs
Notes: Heels picked up their defensive intensity late in the segment and forced a shot clock violation. Wake has bricked 3 shots and had an air ball on another helping the Heels.
TV TO – Wake 16, UNC 15 with 7:18 left in the half
That segment: UNC 6-2
*Wake just went 5:32 without scoring
*UNC had 10-0 run after trailing 14-3
UNC 4-16 FGs (2-6 from 3)
*Withers 1-3 from 3
Wake 7-23 FGs (2-9 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 17-13 (UNC 4-3 OR)
2nd chance pts – UNC 3-2
Pts in paint – Wake 6-2
*UNC’s first points in the paint came with 7:32 left
Notes: UNC’s defensive intensity continued, but the Heels have turned over the ball 8 times already. Wake with 10 points off TOs.
TV TO – Wake 22, UNC 20 with 3:31 left in the half
That segment: Wake 6-5
UNC 6-22 FGs (3-8 from 3)
Wake 9-29 FGs (2-12 from 3)
Rebs – UCN 21-17 (UNC 5-4 OR)
TOs – UNC 9-3
Pts off TOs – Wake 10-1 UNC 0-6 on layups
UNC scored on 9 of 30 possessions (30%)
UNC averaging .667 points per possession
Last Segment:
*UNC 13-9
The picked it up some offensively in the last segment but that was in part because 7-foot Wake center Efton Reid picked up his second foul with 3:31 left. Hubert Davis was mere feet away coaching Elliot Cadeau hard on the sequence with a screen from Reid coming. Lubin and Withers are a combined 2-for-11 in the half.
2nd Half
TV TO – UNC 42, Wake 36 with 15:35 left
That segment: UNC 9-5
This half…
UNC 4-8 FGs (1-4 from 3)
Wake 2-5 FGs (0-1 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 6-3
Game…..
UNC 14-36 FGs (5-14 from 3)
Wake 14-38 FGs (2-13 from 3)
*Wake missed 8 straight from 3
*RJ only 4 FG attempts but 13 points
*Withers 1-6 FGs (1-4 from 3) – 3 pts
TV TO – UNC 42, Wake 36 with 15:35 left
That segment: UNC 9-5
This half…
UNC 4-8 FGs (1-4 from 3)
Wake 2-5 FGs (0-1 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 6-3
Game…..
UNC 14-36 FGs (5-14 from 3)
Wake 14-38 FGs (2-13 from 3)
*Wake missed 8 straight from 3
*RJ only 4 FG attempts but 13 points
*Withers 1-6 FGs (1-4 from 3) – 3 pts
TV TO – Wake 46, UNC 45 with 11:37 left
That segment: Wake 10-3
*Wake on 8-0 run that extends to 14-3
*UNC missed 7 of last 8 shots
*Wake made 6 of last 8 shots
*RJ 16 points, no other Heel with more than 8
*UNC with just 14 points in the paint
*Wake with 14 points off 11 UNC turnovers
*Wake’s Reid 3 fouls
TV TO – UNC 50, Wake 49 with 8:11 left
That segment: 4-4
*UNC has gone 7:04 without a FG and still lead by a point
*UNC 1 for its last 13
*UNC 14-17 FTs
*Wake 9-12 FTs
*Cadeau JUST PICKED UP his 4th PF at 8:11
*Wake’s Reid and Hildreth with 3 fouls each
TV TO – UNC 57, Wake 56 with 3:32 left
That segment: 7-7
*Cadeau 4 fouls
*Lubin 4 fouls (has 11 boards)
*Harris for Wake 4 fouls
*UNC is 2 for its last 18
*UNC 1 FG in last 11:43
Last Segment:
*UNC 11-3
After Wake tied the game at 57-57 with a free throw, the Heels used a 6-0 spurt to take control of the game.
---A FT by Lubin made it 58-57
---A 3 by Davis made it 61-57 with 2:43 left
---A beautiful back screen enabled an oop slam by Lubin from Cadeau for a 63-57 lead with 2:04 left
---Lubin had a put-back slam off a Withers miss for a 65-59 advantage with 1:27 remaining
---A Trimble FT and two by Davis concluded the scoring
