For most of Saturday afternoon’s tilt, North Carolina looked like it was heading for another loss to a power conference team.
The Tar Heels were doing things that bedeviled them all season, starting with turnovers. North Carolina had 11 turnovers by eight players in the first 20 minutes.
The lack of defensive awareness in the first 20 minutes allowed UCLA’s Tyler Bilodeau and Sebastian Mack to combine for 19 points on 11-15 shooting, including 5-6 from three.
North Carolina being down eight at halftime was nothing short of a miracle.
With 12:34 left in the game, the Tar Heels were down 16 and were well on their way to another loss.
But eventually, the energy picked up. A three-pointer by Seth Trimble cut UCLA’s lead down to 7 by the under-8 media timeout. That kicked off an 8-0 run (16-4 overall) that brought North Carolina within two points.
Even with the Tar Heels close, the question would be whether they would find a way to lose another close game to a power conference team similar to what happened at Kansas and against Michigan State and Florida on neutral floors.
Ian Jackson hit a step-back jumper with the shot clock running down, cutting the lead to one. With 1:32 left, Jalen Washington’s stickback tied the game.
Down two, RJ Davis split free throws with 22 seconds left, and there was a sense of “here we go again,” but the Tar Heels were defiant.
North Carolina’s defense, which has been inconsistent all season, forced a turnover. After Davis was fouled, he hit both free throws, giving the Tar Heels a one-point lead. The Tar Heels were a stop away from an epic comeback, and they got it. It was the stop they couldn’t get against the Jayhawks, Spartans, or Gators.
Somehow. Someway. North Carolina walked out of Madison Square Garden with a 76-74 win. It’s a win that could be the one that changes the tenor of the season.
As North Carolina enters the full-time ACC phase of the schedule, here are some observations:
Are the Heels a 7-5 team: The answer isn’t “yes” or “no”. The correct answer is that North Carolina scheduled themselves into a 7-5 record when they couldn’t get a center out of the transfer portal. Without an experienced center, the Tar Heels have struggled in areas that they have dominated in the past.
North Carolina has problems rebounding on both ends. When things go wrong on offense, they can’t just throw it in the post for an easy basket and/or free throws.
That has changed the fiber of North Carolina under its last coach (Roy Williams) and its current one (Hubert Davis).
Davis is still finding the winning formula for this roster. It would be different if the schedule were full of mid- and low-majors instead of power-four opponents.
Plus, Davis’ inability to find an effective way to weaponize Cade Tyson is a failure.
Ian Jackson is North Carolina’s best player: Yes. RJ Davis was the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, but more than any other player, Davis has been impacted by the lack of an inside presence.
Jackson is the electrifying freshman who can get an off-schedule basket, which the Tar Heels need more than ever. Jackson is also a better shooter than advertised.
Jackson shows up when the lights are brightest. He’s a combined 34-58 from the field against Kansas, Auburn, Michigan State, Alabama, Florida, and UCLA.
Withering Withers: Jae’Lyn Withers finished last season with a questionable three-point attempt against Alabama, leading to North Carolina being eliminated from last season’s NCAA tournament.
This season, Withers hasn’t shown that he’s grown since last season.
The last four games have seen Hubert Davis reducing Withers’ minutes from 16 to 12 to 10 to 6. That’s damning for a player in his graduate year.
Withers has had a hard impact on the game. He’s shooting 43.4% from the floor and 31.8% from three. He’s not a defensive stopper or a plus rebounder. When the game gets to a faster pace, he can’t keep up, and his decision-making is questionable at best.
