Tar Heels in NBA: Barnes, Anthony play well in victories but Anthony hates needles

Harrison Barnes and Cole Anthony each have had plenty of nice games this season but, with their teams struggling, the wins haven’t come that often. Both played well in Monday night victories. Barnes collected 23 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals while going 10 of 11 from the free-throw line in Sacramento’s 131–110 win at Oklahoma City that snapped a four-game losing streak. He was +23 for the game, which was his 21st with at least 20 points this season but only the ninth win in those games.

Big senior night, wild OT win was just another Manek Monday

CHAPEL HILL — During Carolina’s pregame warmups, The Bangles’ “Manic Monday” played in the Smith Center. It wasn’t Brady Manek’s favored country music but was appropriate for his senior night and might just be profitable as well. He made it a Manek Monday with 12 of his team-high 22 points in the second half as UNC overcame big Syracuse runs to start each half and battled for an important 88–79 overtime victory over Syracuse.

Tar Heels in NBA: Johnson hits 23, has big overall game in Suns loss; Bullock scores 12 as Mavs rally by Warriors

Without point guard Chris Paul, league-leading Phoenix is finding it tougher to win. Cameron Johnson is trying to do his part as a starter in Paul’s absence but it hasn’t been easy for the Suns. Johnson collected 23 points, four rebounds and five assists in Phoenix’s 118–114 Sunday home loss to Utah after the Suns lost at home to New Orleans on Friday. It’s the first back-to-back losses for the Suns since December.

Huffman’s Jacksonville State team wins regular-season ASUN title; Brooks, Kessler meet this week

Brandon Huffman and Seventh Woods didn’t put up good numbers last week but their teams each had two good victories. But it was an up-and-down week for Garrison Brooks, Walker Kessler and Walker Miller ahead of a week when former Carolina teammates will meet. Huffman’s Jacksonville State team finished the regular season at home with an 81–68 win over Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday and a 69–52 victory Saturday over North Alabama to win the West Division and the top seed in the ASUN Tournament.

Monday on ‘The Tournament’: Intense UNC-Duke ’89 final, conclusion of Dean Smith’s career and Shammond Williams’ emotional recollections

On the week of UNC’s final visit to Cameron Indoor Stadium with Mike Krzyzewski as coach, Episode 7 of the ACC Network documentary “The Tournament” spotlights one of most memorable, physical battles in that rivalry during his career. That’s a highlight of the episode that debuts at 9 p.m. Monday. Episode 8, which debuts at 10 p.m., documents the end to the legendary career of Hall of Fame UNC coach Dean Smith. That second episode Monday includes an interview with 1997 tournament MVP Shammond Williams that John Dahl, the executive producer and a UNC graduate, calls one of the best in the entire documentary and one that will “bring you to tears.”

Tar Heels in NBA: Barnes has big night against Denver but frustrated with officiating; White, Johnson hit 15, Anthony 14; Jackson scores 30 in G League

Harrison Barnes had a big game on the road against one of the best teams in the NBA but he wasn’t doing any celebrating afterward.
Barnes collected 24 points, five rebounds and three assists for Sacramento against the Denver Nuggets, but in a 115–110 Saturday loss, the Kings’ fourth in a row.
“There are no moral victories,” Barnes said

Bacot, UNC dominate Pack again

RALEIGH — Far from the competitive rivalry of years past, North Carolina-N.C. State games recently have been like early non-conference football games: Get the expected win and don’t get anybody hurt. The Tar Heels easily did the first part with an 84–74 victory Saturday with Armando Bacot leading the way. But Leaky Black hyperextended his right knee in the first half. He went through warmups before the second half, but he didn’t come back into the game.

Tar Heels in NBA: Johnson starts, has big game for Suns; Draymond Green says Barnes holds grudge against him

While All-Star Chris Paul recovers from a fractured right thumb, the league-leading Phoenix Suns will need big contributions from other players.
In the first game after the All-Star break, Cameron Johnson — in his 11th start of the season and the first time since Jan. 30 — and was there to do his part. He collected 21 points, four 3-pointers, four rebounds, five assists and a block as the Suns easily won at Oklahoma City 124–104 for their eighth consecutive victory.

Carolina finally shakes off Louisville for 62nd 20-win season

CHAPEL HILL — It may not have come as smoothly as in most years, but Monday’s 70–63 victory over Louisville assured North Carolina of the 62nd 20-win season in program history. Like many other games this season, the Tar Heels’ inability to keep an opponent from driving to the hoop and collecting inside buckets made winning difficult. In the second physical battle of the season with the Cardinals and the better of the inside play for most of the night.

It was mixed week for Kessler and Brooks but big week for Huffman’s team; Miller scores 15

Walker Kessler and Garrison Brooks went through up and down weeks in the SEC while Brandon Huffman’s Jacksonville State team picked up two big victories and Walker Miller played well in a Monmouth victory. Kessler had 22 points, seven rebounds and seven blocks in Auburn’s Wednesday’s 94–80 home win over Vanderbilt but was held to 11 points and three rebounds in Saturday’s 63–62 loss at Florida. The loss to the Gators was only the second game this season without a block for Kessler, who leads the country with 4.56 per game.