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Conference tournaments ended frustratingly for several former Tar Heels, including Puff Johnson missing a potential game-winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer. In addition, Caleb Love’s No. 6 Arizona team, Justin McKoy’s Hawaii team and Kerwin Walton’s No. 25 Texas Tech team all lost Friday in the semifinals of their league tournaments.
WASHINGTON — It was personal for Seth Trimble and Harrison Ingram. Both saw a Pittsburgh player take a spot they wanted when the ACC handed out postseason awards. That motivated both in Carolina’s 72–65 victory Friday in the ACC tournament semifinals at Capital One Arena.
WASHINGTON — No. 4 North Carolina’s eighth consecutive win and ninth Quad 1 victory Friday night all but assured that the Tar Heels will be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Losses by No. 5 Tennessee (73–56 to Mississippi State in the SEC tournament) and No. 6 Arizona (67–59 to Oregon in the Pac-12 tournament), UNC’s competition for the fourth No. 1 seed, pretty much cemented that outcome.
WASHINGTON — Few teams can beat No. 4 North Carolina when RJ Davis and Armando Bacot are at their best. They were in the second half, and Pittsburgh wasn’t up to the task.
WASHINGTON — Desperation isn’t an emotion you would expect from a No. 4-ranked team that just won the ACC regular-season championship. But Seth Trimble, Carolina’s indispensable sixth man, says that is exactly the Tar Heels mindset for March.
WASHINGTON — There were no struggles against Florida State the third time around. Only dominance. After rallying in Chapel Hill and battling in a close game in Tallahassee, No. 4-ranked UNC delivered the knockout punch in the first half. The No. 1-seed Heels took control with a 22–8 first-half run and coasted to a 92–67 victory Thursday in the ACC tournament quarterfinals.
Photos from UNC’s blowout win over Florida State in the ACC tournament quarterfinals.
WASHINGTON — As Tyler Nickel walked from the postgame press conference to the Virginia Tech locker room, he greeted some Carolina friends. It was a brief and jovial exchange in the hallway at Capital One Arena with assistant coach Marcus Paige and director of operations Eric Hoots. Nickel hoped to spend much more time with them and his other UNC friends on Thursday in the quarterfinals.
WASHINGTON — Armando Bacot a three- and-D guy? The first part is debatable but there’s no doubting the last part. After making the ACC’s All-Defensive Team and sinking a pair of 3-pointers on senior night, he’s telling his teammates and the coaches that he is.
One day after his former UNC teammate RJ Davis was named the ACC Player of the Year, Arizona guard Caleb Love was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year. They both were honored Tuesday by The Sporting News.
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