Reggie Bullock has traditionally played better in his NBA career after the new year, and that trend kicked in Saturday night when he and teammate Theo Pinson both had their best games of the season. Bullock hit a career-high eight 3-pointers (on 10 shots) and scored a season-high 24 points for a season-high 21.3 game score in the Dallas Mavericks’ 136–119 loss at Portland on Saturday night in his best game in more than four years. Pinson collected 11 points, three 3-pointers, three assists and a 10.1 game score, all season-highs.
Tag: Carolina basketball
Bacot’s return sparks Heels, Dunn has breakout game in UNC win
Armando Bacot looked a little gimpy at times, but he was a warrior as always, and played through a left-ankle injury. It was just the boost North Carolina needed as he led a decisive first-half run that gave the Tar Heels control on their way to an 80–59 victory Saturday at Denny Crum Court in Louisville, Ky. The breakout performance for UNC (12–6, 4–3 ACC) on both ends of the court, though, was from 6–5 sophomore D’Marco Dunn, who collected 14 points, two 3-pointers, five rebounds and two steals in 26 minutes, all career-highs, while playing excellent defense on El Ellis, Louisville’s leading scorer.
After long recovery from knee injury, confident Washington shows his star potential
CHAPEL HILL — Jalen Washington got a crash course about playing extended minutes in a high-level college basketball game. He got through it tired and sore but not before showing why Carolina was so excited that he decided to take his game to Chapel Hill. “I was happy that people can see how talented he is and the potential that he has because we get to see it every day in practice,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said of Washington, who was a four-star recruit.
Tar Heels in NBA: White has best game of season amid trade rumors; Barnes hits 27 for surging Kings; Kessler blocks 7 shots
Coby White had his best game of the season amid trade rumors, and Harrison Barnes kept putting up big numbers for the surging Sacramento Kings on Friday night. White produced season-highs of 19 points, four 3-pointers, seven field goals, six rebounds and a 16.3 game score to go with a team-high six assists in a season-high 33 minutes. Barnes scored 27 points and eight 3-pointers with seven rebounds and three assists as Sacramento rolled to a 139–114 home win over Houston for the Kings’ third consecutive win.
Bacot, Nance progressing but playing at Louisville unlikely, Hubert Davis said
CHAPEL HILL — Coach Hubert Davis suggested Friday that it is doubtful that either Armando Bacot or Pete Nance will play Saturday at Louisville. Davis said that Bacot, who rolled his left ankle in the first two minutes of Thursday’s loss at Virginia, is further along in his recovery than Nance and that Bacot was “still very questionable, at best” to play against the Cardinals.
Even at 11-6, UNC’s NCAA resume, bracket projections good
At No. 32 in the NET rankings, Carolina’s NCAA tournament resume is about as good as it could be for an 11–6 team, thanks to lots of “good losses.” No team has played more than the Tar Heels’ seven Quad 1 games. They are one of six teams — along with West Virginia (29 in NET rankings, 10–6), Washington State (70, 8–10), Butler (80, 10–8), Nebraska (96, 9–8) and Mississippi (100, 8–8) — that are 1–6 in those games.
Tar Heels in NBA: Barnes pours in 30 points, 6 3s in 30 minutes as Kings roll; Johnson, Little progressing
After a weekend marked by a few battles between UNC alums, the most one-sided happened late on Monday night. There was Day’Ron Sharpe vs. Garrison Brooks, Reggie Bullock and Theo Pinson vs. Justin Jackson and Walker Kessler vs. Coby White. But Harrison Barnes had the best of such matchups against Cole Anthony. Barnes was quite efficient in his Sacramento Kings’ easy 136–111 home victory over Anthony’s Orlando Magic, with season-highs of 30 points and six 3-pointers in 30 minutes, 28 seconds. Meanwhile, in the middle of a long West Coast road trip, Anthony had eight points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Tar Heels in NFL: Howell leads Washingon past Dallas, throwing for one TD and running for another
Sam Howell couldn’t have started his NFL career much better. His first professional pass in a regular-season game went for a 16-yard touchdown play. More importantly, he led the Washington Commanders to a 26–6 home victory Sunday over their rival Dallas Cowboys and was given the game ball from Coach Ron Rivera after the game.
Love shows Heels won’t be bullied as they roll past Irish
CHAPEL HILL — Caleb Love’s critics came out after his performance against Pittsburgh, but he was strong in many ways as North Carolina looked dominant at times in dispatching Notre Dame. Love scored 18 points and three 3-pointers in Carolina’s 81–64 victory Saturday over the Irish in the Smith Center, but it was his reaction to a second-half incident that showed his leadership.
Hubert Davis, whose starters are playing more minutes this season, explains how he uses his bench
CHAPEL HILL — While Hubert Davis continues to lean on his starters for heavy minutes in his second season as Carolina’s head coach, he depends on his reserves more in certain stretches this season. But after plenty of talk about expanding the rotation, Davis still likes to stick with his starters.