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UNC 102 – College of Charleston 86

#1 North Carolina spent much of the first half of their second game of the season waiting for something to happen. Poor rebounding, a lack of aggression, and poor defense left the Tar Heels behind by 7 points at half-time. UNC seemed disinterested in playing on a Friday night. Charleston took full advantage of the Tar Heels’ lackadaisical play. That all ended after the first-half buzzer. North Carolina imposed their will in the second half with improved defense and more aggression on offense, but the box score proves there’s still work to be done. The Tar Heels simply coasted too much in the first half. Perhaps a few clips from the Saw or Escape Room movies at halftime helped the team realize that they are going to get chased and pushed all year. It will take more than talent to get to Houston. The second half against Charleston may have given us a promising glimpse of UNC’s potential.

Key stats:

1. UNC was out-rebounded again. The most glaring part is Charleston grabbing 15 offensive rebounds. UNC only pulled 8 offensive rebounds.
2. The Tar Heels scored 102 points, but were only 5-20 on 3-pointers. Reader’s choice on whether this is good or concerning.
3. Free-throw: 71% on 27-38 shooting, but 9-15 in the first half. Charleston was 66.7%, on 6-9 shooting.
4. Charleston took and made more field goals. 36-73. UNC 35-58.
5. Second-half shooting: UNC 71.4% Charleston 45.5% after shooting 52.5% in the first half. Charleston also went 6-14 on three’s in the first half, but only 2-10 in the second.

North Carolina host teams had a good day on Friday as North Carolina won 15-4 over Hofstra and East Carolina ran away with Coppin St 17-1. Both teams play again at 7pm on Saturday. UNC will play VCU on ESPN+. ECU will play Virginia on ACCN.

East Carolina University increased their nation-leading winning streak to 18 games with a 6-1 American Athletic Conference Tournament win over Houston. This is the first tournament championship for the Pirates since 2018. The championship also gives Cliff Godwin 300 coaching wins. The Pirates improved to 42-18. ECU also won the AAC regular season championship and will likely host a NCAA Baseball Regional. Look for updates at ecupirates.com

North Carolina closed on 4-2 scoring over ACC conference rival Boston College to win the 2022 Women’s Lacrosse National Championship! The Tar Heels finish their first undefeated season in program history at 22-0, while winning their third NCAA championship (2013, 2016, 2022).

Who really thought Duke softball would advance to a Super Regional in the fifth year of fielding a team? The Blue Devils (44-9) came from behind to beat the Bulldogs (43-18) in the NCAA Softball Durham Regional on Sunday. The Bulldogs won game one 5-3 to force the elimination game.

Georgia got off to a fast start scoring two times in the first inning, then scored three more runs in the second inning. Duke only scored once in the first inning but provided all of the offense after the third inning to earn a 13-5 win. The Blue Devils move on to face UCLA in the Los Angeles Super Regional on Friday and Saturday. Games will be televised on ESPN2.

North Carolina’s basketball appears to be in a good hands! Playing for the national championship can change a team’s outlook in a positive way. So can the current transfer rules which allow players to transfer one time without having to sit out a year. Even after a successful season, most D-1 teams can expect player movement. UNC is not exempt. I expected at least three and possibly four Tar Heel players to transfer. Dawson Garcia has already announced his intention to transfer after one season in Chapel Hill. The record will show that the team played better after Garcia’s concussion then return home to attend to family concerns. Don’t count that as a negative for Garcia. Things just did not work out as expected. The shortened line up was challenging but gave Brady Manek the opportunity to display his full capabilities.

Anthony Harris is also on the move after overcoming multiple injuries. Harris was playing more consistently and offering valuable time as a backup before his season ended after the fall academic period. No clarification was given as to why Harris was “unavailable” after Christmas. If Harris can remain injury-free, he may be a valuable contributor at his next stop. Check back for updates on who moves on and who returns to help UNC make the run to San Antonio in 2023.

Kansas leads throughout in 81-65 win over Villanova. Next up is North Carolina.

Game shots

The Final Four can be exhausting. Sunday between the semi’s and final is a great time to see surrounding areas, and maybe dream. Heading west on interstate 10 from New Orleans for about one hour brings you to exit 157B in Baton Rouge which runs into South Acadian Thruway on to Stanford Ave where a slight right turn puts you on a winding 20 mph stretch of West Lakeshore Dr, before coming to West Stadium Rd and the home of Louisiana State University football.

Remembering Rome

The grand Tiger Stadium is a massive structure and centerpiece of the LSU athletic program. Though usually filled on Saturday’s during the fall football season, I was unable to find anyone to get inside, and all of the ramps were closed with “warnings” posted. No jumping the fence on this day, but it’s okay to dream about being in this stadium on gameday.