Covering Carolina sports beyond just men's basketball and football — with the most complete women's basketball coverage
Friday will be Michael Jordan Day on ESPN and ACC Network as the channels will feature extensive programming that spotlights No. 23 on 2/3/23. Highlights of the Carolina and NBA great’s career will be part of multiple studio shows, while ACCN will air four Tar Heels games from the 1981, 1983 and 1984 seasons.
CHAPEL HILL — Carolina was in a fight with Pittsburgh, and at times it seemed like an actual fight, with physical play, words exchanged and apparent vitriol between the teams. The Tar Heels just didn’t have enough fight at the end, with failures at the free throw line and empty possessions in the final minutes too much to overcome.
Carolina’s Caleb Love, Armando Bacot and Pete Nance talk about the loss to Pittsburgh.
Texas Tech had wins in only half of its first 20 games before inserting Kerwin Walton into the starting lineup. The Red Raiders are 2–0 since that happened, including Monday’s rally from a 23-point deficit with 12:38 left. Texas Tech finished off the amazing comeback to earn an 80–77 overtime home victory over No. 13 Iowa State for their first Big 12 victory and back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-December.
Saturday was the most productive day in the NBA for UNC alums this season as five scored at least 13 points, led by Cole Anthony, who broke loose for 21 points one night after scoring 19. The bad news for Anthony is that both were losses.
Kerwin Walton has always had prolific perimeter shooting potential and showed that off Saturday in his first start of the season. Walton scored 17 points and five 3-pointers, both season-highs, as Texas Tech snapped an eight-game losing streak by winning at LSU 76–68 in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge.
When Dean Smith, Bill Guthridge or Roy Williams coached Carolina, the substitution patterns were consistent and predictable. Many fans could almost predict who would come in when. With Smith, like clockwork, the Blue Team of five reserves would enter the game during the first half to give the regulars a break. You had a good idea about which player would come in when a specific player came out.
Today’s Carolina students have no idea how much better seats their predecessors enjoyed at Tar Heels games decades ago — or how much easier ticket distribution is for them. The university has to take care of Rams Club members who support the athletics programs. But college sports should be all about the athletes and their fellow students, and it’s too bad that UNC students don’t get better seats at games.
The Phoenix Suns lost Thursday for the first time since Cameron Johnson’s return to the lineup a week earlier, but it wasn’t because the fourth-year NBA player didn’t do his part. Johnson followed up a 24-point, six-3-pointer night in Tuesday’s win over Charlotte with 22 points and five 3-pointers, but it wasn’t enough in a 99–95 home loss to Reggie Bullock and the Dallas Mavericks.
The Phoenix Suns limited Cameron Johnson’s minutes in his third game back after recovering from knee surgery, but he made the most of his time on the court. Johnson scored 24 points and six 3-pointers in only 18 minutes as the Suns rolled past the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night 128–97 for their fourth consecutive victory.
By R.L. Bynum Pete Nance seems to save his best for games for the state of New York. Nance scored … More
Harrison Barnes’ play in January has been spectacular and, according to his coach, is “irreplaceable.” With his leadership, the Sacramento Kings continued to roll Monday, doing it in record-breaking fashion. Barnes scored 15 of his 20 points and five of his six 3-pointers as the Kings tied an NBA record with 12 first-quarter 3-pointers on 13 attempts in a 47-point period. Sacramento finished off Memphis by outscoring the Grizzlies 33–10 in the fourth quarter for a 133–100 home victory.
Anthony Harris still isn’t a Rhode Island student and hasn’t joined the Rams’ basketball team as was anticipated. A resolution had been expected by Monday because that’s when the second semester started. But nothing has been decided either way for the former North Carolina guard.
Carolina coach Hubert Davis speaks to the media during the ACC’s weekly Zoom session with league coaches.
There was good and bad news for Carolina in the NET rankings coming out of the Tar Heels’ 80–69 home victory over N.C. State, with Selection Sunday 49 days away.
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