By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — When the weakest opponent on North Carolina’s schedule can score 52 points and shoot 60.7% in the second half, it amplifies the Tar Heels’ troubling defensive struggles.
Campbell scored more than 10 points above its average coming into the game, including 12 layups, with Colby Duggan doubling his best scoring output of the season with 32 points and five 3-pointers.
Carolina has already allowed eight opponents to score at least 75 points after doing that only 11 times last season. That has happened more this season than the combined total of occurrences before New Year’s Day in Coach Roy Williams’ last three seasons.
It’s the most since it happened seven times before New Year’s Day and 12 times over the season when Carolina missed the NCAA tournament in 2022–23. Granted, UNC has played a challenging schedule, but that’s no excuse when it happens against Campbell.
Campbell scored 10 3-pointers, becoming the seventh UNC opponent — and fourth non-power conference opponent — with double-digit 3s this season, equaling the total from last season. It only happened three times two seasons ago and 10 times in 2021–22.
Coach Hubert Davis has preached that it all starts with defense, but that wasn’t the case in their 97–81 Sunday win.
With UNC’s scoring defense ranking 329th in the country, Davis tried to focus on the positives, singling out point guard Elliot Cadeau’s play.
“His defense just continues to get better every day,” said Davis, pointing to Cadeau’s defense to force a miss from UCLA’s Sabastian Mack on the final play of the Tar Heels’ 76–74 win as helpful for his confidence.
“I think that’s huge,” Davis said. “[It] doesn’t surprise me that it gave him confidence that he’s a complete basketball player. And that single play gave us a win because of his ability to defend without fouling and be in a position to box out so that Drake [Powell] can get the rebound. And so I’m glad that gave him confidence, and that’s something that he can do consistently.”
The Camels, who only scored 53 points in an entire game at 4–9 Evansville, managed an alarming 1.529 points per second-half possession against UNC.
“Just got to finish the game,” Powell said. [Coach Davis] was telling us to stay disciplined and just don’t get lackadaisical and just continue to play the game. We’re not good enough yet to take our foot off the gas yet.”
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But even being without Seth Trimble — their best defender, who was out with an upper-body injury — the 304th-best team in the NET rankings shouldn’t score that easily.
“On the defensive end, [Trimble is] definitely someone that’s a presence, and you understand when he’s on the floor,” freshman guard Ian Jackson said. “You can feel it.”
Regardless of the opponent, Carolina consistently can’t stop drives to the rim. The Tar Heels have trouble containing pick-and-rolls and must find fixes to eliminate the communication breakdowns on defensive switches.
UNC didn’t get a defensive stop in the last seven minutes against Campbell. It could be that the defensive intensity waned in what was a one-sided game. But the intensity has to become consistent for 40 minutes if Carolina will earn an NCAA tournament berth.
Times allowing at least 75 points
2024–25 — 8
2023–24 — 11 (4 times before New Year)
2022–23 — 12 (7 before New Year)
2021–22 — 17 (5 before New Year)
2020–21 — 8 (2 before New Year) — X
2019–20 — 11 (1 before New Year)
2018–19 — 15 (6 before New Year)
2018–19 — 15 (3 before New Year)
2017–18 — 13 (4 before New Year)
2016–17 — 17 (5 before New Year)
2015–16 — 9 (3 before New Year)
2014–15 — 11 (1 before New Year)
2013–14 — 12 (4 before New Year)
2012–13 — 10 (5 before New Year)
2011–12 — 10 (5 before New Year)
2010–11 — 11 (3 before New Year)
X — Roy Williams’ final season
UNC season statistics
| Team | League | Overall | NET* | WAB* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Duke | 17–1 | 29–2 | 1 | 2 |
| No. 10 Virginia | 15–3 | 27–4 | 13 | 11 |
| Miami | 13–5 | 24–7 | 32 | 28 |
| No. 19 North Carolina | 12–6 | 24–7 | 23 | 19 |
| Clemson | 12–6 | 22–9 | 36 | 33 |
| No. 24 Louisville | 11–7 | 22–9 | 14 | 25 |
| N.C. State | 10–8 | 19–12 | 35 | 45 |
| Florida State | 10–8 | 17–14 | 69 | 74 |
| California | 9–9 | 21–10 | 65 | 49 |
| Stanford | 9–9 | 20–11 | 59 | 51 |
| SMU | 8–10 | 19–12 | 39 | 50 |
| Virginia Tech | 8–10 | 19–12 | 53 | 52 |
| Wake Forest | 7–11 | 16–15 | 64 | 81 |
| Syracuse | 6–12 | 15–16 | 83 | 92 |
| Pittsburgh | 5–13 | 12–19 | 109 | 146 |
| Notre Dame | 4–14 | 13–18 | 93 | 121 |
| Boston College | 4–14 | 11–20 | 159 | 217 |
| Georgia Tech | 2–16 | 11–20 | 167 | 210 |
* — Through Sunday games
Saturday’s results
No. 1 Duke 76, No. 19 North Carolina 61
Boston College 77, Notre Dame 69
Clemson 79, Georgia Tech 76
No. 24 Louisville 92, Miami 89
Florida State 92, SMU 78
Stanford 85, N.C. State 84
Wake Forest 80, California 73
Pittsburgh 71, Syracuse 69, OT
END OF REGULAR SEASON
ACC tournament
Spectrum Center | Charlotte
Tuesday through Saturday
| Date | Month/day | Scores | Opponent/event (current ranks) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 24 | Friday | L, 78–76 | vs. BYU in SLC | Exhib. |
| 29 | Wednesday | W, 95–53 | vs. Winston-Salem St. | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 94–54 | vs. Central Arkansas | 1–0 |
| 7 | Friday | W, 87–74 | vs. No. 17 Kansas | 2–0 |
| 11 | Tuesday | W, 89–74 | vs. Radford | 3–0 |
| 14 | Friday | W, 97–53 | vs. N.C. Central | 4–0 |
| 18 | Tuesday | W, 73–61 | vs. Navy | 5–0 |
| Fort Myers Tip-Off | ||||
| 25 | Tuesday | W, 85–70 | vs. St. Bonaventure | 6–0 |
| 27 | Thursday | L, 74–58 | vs. No. 11 Michigan State | 6–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge | |||
| 2 | Tuesday | W, 67–64 | at Kentucky | 7–1 |
| ————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 81–61 | vs. Georgetown | 8–1 |
| 13 | Saturday | W, 80–62 | vs. USC Upstate | 9–1 |
| 16 | Tuesday | W, 77–58 | vs. ETSU | 10–1 |
| CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta | ||||
| 20 | Saturday | W, 71–70 | vs. Ohio State | 11–1 |
| ————————— | ||||
| 22 | Monday | W, 99–51 | vs. East Carolina | 12–1 |
| 30 | Tuesday | W, 79–66 | vs. Florida State | 13–1, 1–0 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 3 | Saturday | L, 97–83 | at SMU | 13–2, 1–1 |
| 10 | Saturday | W, 87–84 | vs. Wake Forest | 14–2, 2–1 |
| 14 | Wednesday | L, 95–90 | at Stanford | 14–3, 2–2 |
| 17 | Saturday | L, 84–78 | at California | 14–4, 2–3 |
| 21 | Wednesday | W, 91–69 | vs. Notre Dame | 15–4, 3–3 |
| 24 | Saturday | W, 85–80 | at No. 9 Virginia | 16–4, 4–3 |
| 31 | Saturday | W, 91–75 | at Georgia Tech | 17–4, 5–3 |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | W, 87–77 | vs. Syracuse | 18–4, 6–3 |
| 7 | Saturday | W, 71–68 | vs. No. 1 Duke | 19–4, 7–3 |
| 10 | Tuesday | L, 75–66 | at No. 25 Miami | 19–5, 7–4 |
| 14 | Saturday | W, 79–65 | vs. Pittsburgh | 20–5, 8–4 |
| 17 | Tuesday | L, 82–58 | at N.C. State | 20–6, 8–5 |
| 21 | Saturday | W, 77–64 | at Syracuse | 21–6, 9–5 |
| 23 | Monday | W, 77–74 | vs. Louisville | 22–6, 10–5 |
| 28 | Saturday | W, 89–82 | vs. Virginia Tech | 23–6, 11–5 |
| March | ||||
| 3 | Tuesday | W, 67–63 | vs. Clemson | 24–6, 12–5 |
| 7 | Saturday | L, 76–61 | at No. 1 Duke | 24–7, 12–6 |
| 10–14 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament | Spectrum Center, Charlotte | |
| 12 | Thursday | L, 80–79 | Quarterfinals: vs. Clemson | 24–8 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 19 | Thursday | L, 82–78, OT | First round: vs. VCU in Greenville, S.C. | 24–9 |
Photo via @GoCamelsMBB
