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CHAPEL HILL — When Pete Nance’s first 3-pointer as a Tar Heel swished through the net 61 seconds into the game, it was probably a relief for him. It was a significant relief for No. 1 North Carolina that Nance was in a groove in the first half. He was responsible for 13 of the Tar Heels’ first 15 points in a highly choppy first-half performance.
Could Carolina really make the College Football Playoff? It seems crazy to think about, considering that the No. 13-ranked Tar Heels probably won’t be in the top 10 when the updated CFP rankings that come out Tuesday night. FiveThirtyEight is saying there’s a chance, but the scenarios that put the Tar Heels in the field don’t look likely.
Andrew Platek’s first season at Siena came to a frustrating early end, but his second season there is off to a terrific start. Platek knocked down three 3-pointers in a decisive second-half run and scored a career-high 15 points in Sunday’s 75–62 victory over Albany to claim the Albany Cup. That bettered his previous career-high of 13 points he scored in the Saints’ season-opening 75–68 win at Holy Cross.
Junior Puff Johnson has missed No. 1 North Carolina’s first two games and will likely be out for at least two more as he recovers from a sore knee. Coach Hubert Davis said Monday that he practiced Sunday and had limited reps Monday.
Ohio State leapfrogged over Carolina in the latest AP Top 25 women’s poll after upsetting Tennessee, dropping the Tar Heels one slot to No. 13. The Buckeyes (2–0) went from No. 14 to No. 8 after an 87–75 home victory over Tennessee (1–1), which fell from No. 5 to No. 11.
Carolina held the top spot in the latest AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll, but its lead in first-place votes over No. 2 Gonzaga fell from 35 votes to 30. The Tar Heels (2–0) won home games against UNC Wilmington 69–56 and College of Charleston 102–86, with preseason ACC player of the year Armando Bacot scoring 28 points. The Zags (2–0) beat North Florida 104–63 but barely knocked off unranked Michigan State 64–63.
CHAPEL HILL — Carolina’s redemption season took another step on an emotional day that marked the final home game for transcendent Tar Heels star Erin Matson. She’s given fans so many eye-popping memories over her five-year UNC career and added another one with a hat trick in her final game at Karen Shelton Stadium. One season after the Tar Heels lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament, top-ranked Carolina rolled past Saint Joseph’s 5–1 on Sunday in the quarterfinals with the domination that showed why it’s the best and the most tradition-rich program in the country.
By R.L. Bynum After capturing the final ACC Coastal Division title with Saturday night’s 36–34 victory at Wake Forest, North … More
WINSTON-SALEM — Drake Maye had passes dropped. He had receivers go down. But, of course, the sensational redshirt freshman quarterback overcame it all on Saturday night. Maye threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as he led No. 15 Carolina to a 36–34 victory over Wake Forest to clinch the final ACC Coastal Division title. The Tar Heels (9–1, 6–0 ACC) will face No. 12 Clemson (9–1, 7–0) in the ACC championship game in Charlotte at 8 p.m. on Dec. 3.
CHAPEL HILL — The model of efficiency through two games is Carolina’s do-everything wing Alyssa Ustby. The talented junior, who showed in the offseason that her talents include kicking field goals at Kenan Stadium, said she was “a little banged up” after her September participation on the United States three-on-three team in Romania and summer workouts. That limited her in the preseason and led to minutes restrictions. She’s making the most of every minute. Ustby scored 14 points in 18 minutes Saturday as No. 12 Carolina (2–0) took control in the second quarter and cruised to a 75–48 victory over TCU (1–1).
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