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CHAPEL HILL — No. 17 North Carolina took morning batting practice on Friday, but it all counted. In a game that started at 11 a.m. to get ahead of the rain, the Tar Heels banged out 10 hits in an 11-run first inning when 16 UNC players batted. The rout quickly was on as Carolina rolled to a 12–2 victory over Princeton in the opener of a three-game series.
Dawson Garcia poured in 29 points in a high-scoring Minnesota loss, while Caleb Love and Dontrez Styles both scored 16 in mid-week games.
Regardless of the opponent, playing on the road in ACC women’s basketball is always challenging, particularly on senior night. Senior guard JoJo Lacey scored a career-high 23 points as Boston College scored a season-high 10 3-pointers to snap a 10-game losing streak by holding off a furious North Carolina rally.
With the ACC going to 18 schools next season, adding Cal, SMU and Stanford, each team will only play home-and-home with three teams in men’s basketball under the 20-game schedule and play every other team once.
The ACC regular-season title could still come down to No. 9 UNC’s visit to No. 10 Duke on March 9, but some scenarios would allow the Tar Heels to clinch the No. 1 seed in the ACC tournament without winning that game. But that got more challenging after Wake Forest (18–10, 10–7) lost 70–65 at Notre Dame (11–17, 6–11) on Tuesday.
CHAPEL HILL — Alberto Osuna is fully healthy and having a blast. The senior slugger never felt quite right while battling a left hamate injury last season, and his power numbers suffered. He got healthy and fitter in the offseason, and the results have been impressive.
CHAPEL HILL — No. 17 North Carolina is loaded with young pitching talent, but none as young as freshman Jason DeCaro. The 17-year-old right-hander has earned a spot in the weekend rotation after showing poise and an impressive four-pitch mix in two mid-week starts.
No. 9 North Carolina’s fifth Quad 3 victory Monday night didn’t change the Tar Heels’ NET ranking, but more bracket projections are shifting the Tar Heels up to the No. 1 seed line.
CHAPEL HILL — While RJ Davis was etching his place in Carolina basketball history and shooting himself into the national player of the year conversation, Miami was intent on ruining the party. His Smith Center-record 42 points and seven 3-pointers, both career-highs, helped the No. 9 Tar Heels beat a hot-shooting Miami team Monday night. But the 75–71 victory wasn’t put away until Jae’Lyn Withers sank two free throws with two seconds left.
Carolina moved up a spot to No. 9 in the AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll Monday after winning at Virginia 54–44 in its only game last week.
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