Many projections have UNC heading to Holiday Bowl

CHARLOTTE — North Carolina can control its bowl destination by beating Clemson in Saturday night’s ACC championship game, which would send the Tar Heels to their second Orange Bowl in three seasons. The consensus is that the Orange Bowl opponent for ACC champion on Dec. 30 will be Tennessee. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura, The Athletic, 247 Sports, Yahoo! Sports and The Action Network all project that.

Tar Heels in NBA: Anthony plays well again in second game back; Little out six weeks; Kessler has best game of rookie season

It’s only taken Cole Anthony two games to find a groove after missing 16 games with a right oblique tear. In his 25th NBA game, Walker Kessler had the best night of his rookie season. Anthony had a good all-around game with 19 points, three 3-pointers, six rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in the Orlando Magic’s 107–96 road loss Friday to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Assembly Hall special classic college hoops venue — like a bigger Carmichael

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — While the outcome of the games left much to be desired for North Carolina, it was interesting to experience gamedays at another school with a rich basketball tradition. Assembly Hall is one of several remaining classic college basketball venues that hasn’t been cast aside in favor of bigger arenas. The facility remains where Bobby Knight turned Indiana into a national power and famously threw a chair in disgust — along with UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse and Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium, to name a few.

UNC holds off FSU, win away from 22nd NCAA women’s soccer title

CARY — Of all the scenarios Anson Dorrance might have anticipated, he probably never thought he would have to sweat out a three-goal lead against Florida State. That’s exactly what the North Carolina coach experienced over the final 15 minutes before his No. 2-seed and No. 2-ranked Tar Heels held on for a 3–2 victory Friday night over the No. 1-seed and No. 5-ranked Seminoles in NCAA women’s soccer semifinals.

Bacot says that the reeling Heels are ‘back to square one’

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — After three consecutive losses and continued struggles to find the offensive rhythm that carried Carolina to the Final Four last season, senior center Armando Bacot knows something has to change. “We’re back to square one now. I guess our choice now is to fight,” said Bacot after battling through right ankle, right shoulder, collarbone and foul-trouble issues to contribute 12 points and 10 rebounds in No. 18 North Carolina’s 77–65 loss to No. 10 Wednesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge in an electric environment at Assembly Hall.

Tar Heels in pros: Anthony looks good in return; Barnes hits 22 in Kings romp; Brooks has big G League game; Little hurt

In only his fifth game of the season, Cole Anthony felt good just to be playing after missing the previous 16 games with a right oblique tear. The result wasn’t what Orlando wanted, a 125–108 home loss to Atlanta on Wednesday night. Still, it was helpful for the Magic to have not only Anthony but 11 other available players after only nine were available in Monday’s road loss to Brooklyn.

Bacot gamely battles through injuries in third straight UNC loss

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Without a fully healthy Armando Bacot and continued backcourt shooting struggles, Carolina has played itself into unfamiliar territory. Already with a right-ankle issue, Bacot tweaked his right shoulder and collarbone in the first three minutes, then got in foul trouble. Even with those challenges, Bacot gamely put up another double-double, but it wasn’t enough on a night Indiana outscored Carolina inside by 26 points.

Unbeaten No. 6 UNC women hope to end trend of bad starts in tough road game against No. 5 Indiana

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The No. 6 North Carolina women’s team showed in Portland that falling behind early against ranked teams doesn’t faze the Tar Heels. UNC (6–0) played from behind in both games on their way to the Phil Knight Invitational title, trailing in the first half by 12 before beating Oregon 85–79 in the first round and by 17 before knocking off Iowa State 73–64 in the championship game. In the fourth quarter, UNC trailed by eight against the Ducks and six against the Cyclones.