LOUISVILLE, KY – As poorly as North Carolina played through many segments of its game at Louisville on Wednesday night, the Tar Heels were right there with a chance to steal a big road win and nab their third Quad 1 win of the season.

But they faltered down the stretch in a big way, as the Cardinals outscored UNC, 13-1, to close out the game dominating in every facet in an 83-70 loss at KFC Yum! Center.

Ian Jackson led UNC with 23 points while Drake Powell chipped in 14 and RJ Davis had 12.

Carolina dropped to 8-6 overall and 1-1 in the ACC while Louisville improved to 9-5 and 1-1.

Here, we take you Inside The Game:

It’s hard to imagine a team playing worse than the Tar Heels did over the final four after the last official timeout was called. The Heels actually didn’t score from the field for the final 5:09. Here is a simple breakdown of all that went wrong in the final four minutes:

---Louisville outscored UNC 13-1

---UNC did not score from the field

---UNC was 0-for-4 with a missed layup and missed dunk in that span

---The Tar Heels were whistled for 4 fouls over the final 3:46 and they were not trying to foul

---In the final segment, Carolina had a shot clock violation, an airball jumper, a missed dunk, a backcourt violation, and fouled a 3-point shooter.

---And the Heels were outrebounded 6-0, two of which were offensive rebounds that directly led to 5 points

“I think it’s just end-of-the-game execution we have to do a better job of doing,” RJ Davis said. “It was a one-point game and we fouled a 3-point shooter, we gave up an offensive rebound which led to a three. It’s just the little things that are making other teams extend their lead.”

Freshman Drake Powell said the Heels don’t have the right level of intensity late in close games.

“We have the right in practice, I think it’s (not) translating into the game. I think we definitely have it in us.”

The statistics don’t really tell the story. Louisville was 26-for-58 (44.8%) from the floor, including 6-for-26 (23.1%) from the perimeter. But the truth is the Heels allowed lobs to the rim – Louisville was 5-for-6 on dunks – passes to cutters along the baseline for scores and faced minimal resistance for even a series of mid-range jumpers inside the arc.

The Cardinals were poor from the perimeter but most of the shots were wide open. They just missed. Inside the arc, however, they shot 62.5%.

And the Heels fouled and fouled and fouled some more. Twenty-nine to be exact. Cade Tyson, Elliot Cadeau, and Powell all fouled out, and Davis finished the night with four fouls. As a result, Louisville attempted 39 foul shots. Because the Cards hit just 25, the Heels stayed in the game. Of course, Chucky Hepburn was 16-for-20, including 11-for-14 after halftime.

Hepburn 5-for-6 from the floor but scored 26 points. Carolina could not guard him.

Poor switches, poor rotations, not enough arms in the lanes, few close outs, etc. This has been an issue all season and remains one.

“I’m still trying to figure it out as well,” Davis replied when asked about the problems on defense. “We’ve shown glimpses of it when we do communicate and it leads to great things. I think it’s not consistency; it’s not consistent on a consistent basis, especially when it’s crunch time.”

*Junior guard Seth Trimble did not play for the second consecutive game. He was with the team on the bench but was in street clothes. He did not warm up. Hubert Davis saif after the game there is no update on his condition.

*The Tar Heels led for only 24 seconds, so in their eight Quad 1 games, they have led for only 25:38 of 325 game minutes.

*The Heels trailed by 6 points at halftime today. So, in their eight Quad 1 games, these are their halftime deficits: Kansas by 15; Dayton by 18; Auburn by 8; Mich St by 9; Alabama by 9; Florida by 12; UCLA by 8; and Louisville by 6. Thus, UNC has not led at halftime this season in its eight Quad 1 games.

*The first double-digit lead of the game for Louisville came with 15:24 to play when the Cards went up 51-40. Then there is the final margin. So, in all eight of UNC’s Quad 1 games, it has trailed in each one by at least 13 points.

*RJ Davis did not score in the game until 4:52 left in the first half, and then he scored 9 points over the next 2:59. He also did not score over the final 9:44 of the contest. In fact, he attempted only two shots over the last 9:44.

*Ian Jackson led the Heels in scoring for the third consecutive game. He finished with 23 on the night shooting 7-for-15 from the floor, including 2-for-5 from the perimeter. He was 7-for-11 from the free throw line.

---In one stretch in the second half, spanning 10:09, Jackson scored 12 points while having at least four different Cardinals guarding him. It moved the margin from 9 points to 1 at 70-69 while he was in that groove. He said he was “just balling” when asked what it was with how Louisville defended him that allowed for so much success.

---Jackson has now scored 73 points in the last three games.

*In finding a positive for the Heels in this game, the Heels did make more of a concerted effort to run some offense through the post. Jalen Washington finished with 7 points and 6 rebounds while Ven-Allen Lubin scored 5 points and had 9 rebounds, equaling his high game on the boards at UNC. So, in 37 minutes, the five spot produced 12 points and 14 rebounds.

*UNC scored just 2 points off of 7 offensive rebounds, plus it had only 7 fast break points. So, in two crucial areas that have always been major strengths for the program, the Heels combined for only 9 points on fast break and second chance opportunities.

*For most of the game, the Heels did a nice job with one of the major points of emphasis, and that was keeping Louisville off the offensive glass and allowing it little production from those opportunities.

---The Cards ended the game snaring 11 of their 32 misses, which is 34.3%, and that’s with the late-game board rush by the home team. Carolina kept Louisville below its norm in both areas.

*With 10:15 left in the first half, Cade Tyson sank a 3-pointer giving the Heels a 15-14 lead. UNC remained in front for 24 seconds before Louisville retook the lead for good. Those were the only 24 seconds in which Carolina had the lead.

*Some Stats:

---UNC shot 40% from the field, including 4-for-16 from 3-point range

---Louisville outrebounded UNC 43-37, so with 3:46 remaining, the teams were even on the glass.

---Carolina had 11 assists and 12 turnovers. So, in only two of its eight Quad 1 games have the Heels had more assists than turnovers.

---Points off TOs: Louisville 14-8

---Bench points: Louisville 22-10

---Points in the paint: Louisville 38-36

---Blocks: Louisville 4-3

---Steals: 4-4

---UNC was 16-for-24 on layups / 1-for-3 dunks

---UNC scored on 33 of 73 possessions (45.2%)

---UNC averaged .959 points per possession

---Louisville scored on 40 of 72 possessions (55.6)

---Louisville averaged 1.153 points per possession