Points In The Open Court & What They Meant

North Carolina has always been known as a team that excels in the open court and racks up a lot of fast-break points. But this past year’s team wasn’t as dynamic getting up and down the floor, and it showed in the team’s stats, too.

In 37 games, the Tar Heels outscored their opponents in fast-break points only 20 times, and just 11 times after conference play started, which included the final 24 games of the season. In addition, UNC surprisingly scored 10 or more points on fast breaks in only 23 games.

What’s interesting is that Carolina wasn’t outscored by any opponent in the open court until ACC play started, though it did equal three foes in fast-break points, losing two of those contests to Michigan State and Wofford.

Then, when ACC games started, the Heels were outscored in this respect in six of their first eight league contests, with one being even.

Overall, UNC was outscored in fast-break points nine times and was even another eight times. It’s record while being outscored in this manner was 4-5 and its record when even was 4-4. When scoring more points than its opponents in the open court, UNC’s record was 18-2.

Even though this wasn’t a race horse team like many prior Carolina clubs, the program’s desire and training to play fast and efficiently almost always paid off when things worked that way for the Tar Heels.

At Stanford – 8-8 tie

Vs. Michigan State – 6-6 tie

Wofford – 6-6 tie

Wake Forest – 14-4

At Florida State – 10-8

At Virginia – 8-0

At Notre Dame – 4-2

Clemson – 10-6

Georgia Tech – 12-12 tie

At Virginia Tech – 12-4

At Louisville – 4-0

At Syracuse – 8-8 tie

Miami – 8-8 tie

At Duke – 12-6

Vs. Duke – 4-4 tie

Vs. Virginia – 2-2 tie

Vs. Texas A&M – 12-8