By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — The Carolina defense that had been missing for the last two weeks showed up on Tuesday, while the Tar Heels turned 3-pointers from a debilitating opponent weapon into a potent offensive force.
Hubert Davis said the foundation was set well before tipoff, pointing to “two really good practices” and an emphasis on urgency that carried into game night.
The No. 22 Tar Heels weren’t perfect defending Notre Dame from the perimeter, but held the Irish to 36% shooting and rolled to a 91–69 victory Tuesday at the Smith Center.
“Another thing that I was happy with was just the chatter in the huddles during timeouts, multiple people talking. I love that. I encourage that,” Davis said.
The issues communicating on defense were mostly resolved by the second half, as the Tar Heels closed out on shooters much better.
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Davis was “very, very satisfied” with how Carolina (15–4, 3–3 ACC) defended after halftime, especially as the Irish (10–9, 1–5) went 2 of 13 from the perimeter in the second half after going 6 of 12 in the first half. The streak of five consecutive games giving up double-digit 3-pointers ended.
Carolina tied a school record with eight players scoring 3-pointers as more than half of the Tar Heels’ attempts (34 of 61) came from behind the arc, and they sank a season-high 13 3-pointers.
“I encourage the team every time that we win to enjoy winning,” Davis said. “It’s very difficult to win in conference in the ACC, and so that should be celebrated. And then [Thursday], we’ll start our preparation and practice for Virginia. This is the first ride with this group. We have 11 new players, and we’re going through this for the first time, and we’re learning, we’re growing, we’re getting better.”
Caleb Wilson was spectacular again (22 points, 7 rebounds), scoring at least 20 points for the 13th time. Henri Veesar rebounded from a 3-point first half for his 10th double-double of the season (15 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks).
Veesaar said the shot selection was different than recent games.
“This time, we’re taking open ones, and then if you keep shooting, you take the right ones, you’re gonna get rewarded for that,” Veesaar said.
The assists were distributed well as nine Tar Heels contributed to the total of 18 assists on 31 field goals, led by Wilson’s five. Those assists were a product of Wilson becoming more accustomed to the extra attention defenses are giving him and passing out of double-teams more effectively.
“Most teams are going to know me from here on out, so I just expect that,” Wilson said. “I know where it’s coming from and what to do to get out of it, and I also know where my teammates are going to be. So, it makes it much easier to just make a read.”
Veesaar said the assist total was also tied to the defense.
“I feel like we did a good job of getting stops and defenses just running. So, that way, they got mismatched, or they had four against five [disadvantage], and we were able to just swing into an open three games. Or being able to draw two because they were doubling Caleb all game. He’s able to pass out, and we got open [shots] from there.”
Davis shook up his starting lineup again, giving Jaydon Young his first UNC start, with Derek Dixon at point guard for the second consecutive game.
“I think it’s been a change,” Dixon said of starting. “Coming into the game, I’m a little more warm. [I] don’t have those minutes on the bench and just trying to be a leader out there. Just got to use my voice, and that’s been something I’m really trying to focus on.”
Young had three points while battling foul trouble (picking up his third foul early in the second half). Davis said that the group started because it was the most effective when UNC was clicking late in the California game.
“I felt like that group played the closest to — not where I wanted us to be — but the closest in terms of the effort and energy, enthusiasm, the will and the want to that I require every time you get out on the floor,” Davis said, after also starting the big three of Wilson, Veesaar and Seth Trimble (5 points, 3 rebounds), along with Dixon (11 points, 3 3-pointers, 2 rebounds, 2 assists).
The big UNC negative was Notre Dame pulling down 18 offensive rebounds, a season-high by an opponent (East Carolina had the previous high of 14). Davis noted those mistakes can’t snowball, emphasizing that his team needs to move on and focus on the next play.
Carolina’s two newest starters, Dixon and Young, each scored 3-pointers as UNC took a 6–2 lead. Back-to-back Notre Dame 3s cut the lead to 11–10 at 15:21 of the first half.
With Notre Dame packing defenders and doubling the post, 12 of UNC’s first 14 shots were 3-point attempts as the Heels attempted a season-high 34 3s (previous high 31 against Radford).
“I think I got some really good looks today,” Dixon said. “Caleb made some really good passes. I think we moved the ball really well. And when I get an open look, I’m gonna be confident that I’m gonna knock it down.”
Jonathan Powell became the sixth Tar Heel to score a 3-pointer, and a Wilson follow shot gave Carolina a 24–15 lead at 8:28.
Wilson said the offensive confidence comes from trust, adding, “We just competed, and everybody kind of put their pride to the side,” echoing the mindset coming out of practice.
A Notre Dame three-point play and Ryder Frost 3-pointer at 5:36 sliced UNC’s lead to three. UNC responded with a 10–2 run. A Dixon 3-pointer ended a four-minute UNC field-goal drought, and a Wilson free throw gave UNC a 36–25 edge at 3:04 before leading 42–33 at halftime.
Veesaar scored the first five points after halftime and, after a Dixon 3, his layup gave UNC a 19-point lead, 52–33, 2½ minutes into the second half.
UNC reeled off a 13–4 run, capped when Wilson fed Veesaar for a bucket, then slammed down a dunk for a 29-point lead, 76–47 at 9:40.
Veesaar said the second half reflected a lesson learned, adding, “As long as we play our own game and give 100% effort, we can control if we win or lose.”
Even with a reserve-heavy lineup, UNC outscored the Irish 15–9 in the final 2½ minutes.
Reserve Sir Mohammed, who is from Charlotte, led the Irish with 14 points, with guard Jalen Haralson adding 13.
Notes
— Carolina heads to Charlottesville, Va., at 2 p.m. (ESPN), and will be the heavy underdog against No. 13 Virginia (16–2, 5–1). The Cavaliers have won five consecutive games since losing their ACC opener at Virginia Tech, last playing on Saturday when they won at SMU 72–68. There have been discussions about moving the start time earlier, possibly around noon.
— Carolina went up three spots in the NET to 27th after the Quad 3 win.
— UNC’s previous high 3-pointers total was 12 against East Carolina and Wake Forest.
— Wilson’s 13th 20-point game is one shy of the freshman record Tyler Hansbrough set in 2005–06. His 19 double-figure-scoring games are one shy of Rashad McCants’ freshman record set in 2002–23.
—UNC has also had eight players score 3-pointers earlier this season against East Carolina and in 2019 against Wake Forest.
— With Young getting his first start of the season, Carolina started its fourth different lineup in five games. Jarin Stevenson (5 points) and Kyan Evans (9 points), who each started 18 games, didn’t play until nearly seven minutes into the game. Evans played 10 minutes for the second consecutive game, the fewest this season after previously playing no fewer than 14, but scored three 3-pointers for the fourth time this season and the 17th time in his career.
— The Tar Heels’ 91 points are the most scored against Notre Dame this season (previous high was 89 by Virginia Tech).
— It was the fifth time this season that UNC never trailed in a game.
— Reserve centers James Brown (right foot in a boot) and Ivan Matlekovic (right hand in a cast) were both out of uniform for the game.
—Carolina leads the all-time series with Notre Dame 33–9, including 11–1 in the Smith Center, and has won the last six meetings.
No. 22 UNC 91, Notre Dame 69
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 |
Photos courtesy of UNC Athletics
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