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Justin Jackson would obviously prefer to still be on an NBA roster, but the plus side is that he’s getting plenty of playing time being back with the G League’s Texas Legends. To say that Jackson was shooting well from the start of Monday’s game would be an understatement. He scored four 3-pointers in the first five minutes, with every shot getting nothing but net.
Jeremiah Francis’ Emmanuel College team is on a roll and a conference champion headed to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Lions (23–7) have won 16 consecutive games, including defeating Belmont Abbey 77–60 Sunday in the Conference Carolinas Tournament championship game in Spartanburg, S.C.
North Carolina, which fell one spot to No. 19 in the AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll, may have done enough to earn a top 4 seed in the NCAA tournament, meaning games at Carmichael Arena in the first two rounds. With all of the major conference tournaments complete, ESPN projects the Tar Heels (21–10) as a No. 4 seed.
Garrison Brooks had the best game of his professional career to help the Westchester Knicks ended a four-game losing streak. Brooks put up career-high totals with 26 points and 20 rebounds as the Knicks won at home against the Windy City Bulls 121–120 on Sunday.
CHAPEL HILL — The top of Carolina’s order is having a blast, but none more than junior transfer Jackson Van De Brake. If you wondered whether his early-season home-run stroke might be a fluke after he hit one home run in two seasons at Tacoma Community College, he delivered a powerful message Sunday.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before … UNC has a second-half lead against a quality opponent with a chance to boost its postseason resume, yet finds a way to let the game get away with another close but disappointing loss. Or maybe you’ve heard this one before … Carolina is engaged in a rock fight against Duke, in a nail-biting, close game in the last four minutes, only to go ice-cold and unable to score more than two points down the stretch and the Blue Devils scratch out a win.
CHAPEL HILL — There was plenty of frustration from Carolina’s Armando Bacot after what could have been his last game at the Smith Center ended with so many missed opportunities. The resignation to the Tar Heels’ plight after their 62–57 loss Saturday to Duke was evident on his face, knowing that it will probably take four wins next week at the ACC Tournament to guarantee they make the NCAA field.
After a 62–57 loss to Duke in the regular-season finale, North Carolina likely has to win the ACC Tournament next weekend at the Greensboro Coliseum to make the NCAA tournament field. That pursuit will start at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (ESPN2) in the second round as the No. 7 seed against the winner of Tuesday’s 4:30 first-round game between No. 10-seed Boston College (15–16) and No. 15-seed Louisville (2–18).
Here what Armando Bacot and RJ Davis had to say after Carolina’s loss to Duke.
CHAPEL HILL — Junior right-hander Connor Bovair fits in quite nicely as No. 12 Carolina’s No. 2 starter after his first two college seasons didn’t always go smoothly. He followed two solid outings to start the season with an impressive showing Saturday to get his first win of the season in the Tar Heels’ 7–5 win Saturday over Stony Brook before a sun-splashed crowd at Boshamer Stadium.
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