1. Decisive ACC win for the Tar Heels, who wanted a kind of. Carolina beat SMU within the first convention assembly, 82-67.
2. Chalk it as much as protection (SMU shot simply 33 % from the sphere), and chalk it up particularly to publish protection. SMU entered the sport as one of many high ten offensive rebounding groups within the nation. Carolina emphasised that closely in follow the final two days, and it paid off. The Mustangs managed simply ten second probability factors (4 after the sport had been determined) and the Heels tied the general factors within the paint battle, 26-26. The guests had been simply 19-for-51 on two-point pictures.
3. Ven-Allen Lubin’s stat line wasn’t eye-popping (seven factors and two rebounds) however he was an enormous a part of Carolina’s effort across the rim, as had been Jalen Washington (three extra blocks, together with an early tone-setting one on SMU large man Samet Yigitoglu) and Jae’Lyn Withers (seven factors and three rebounds, plus a drawn cost).
4. SMU was additionally probably the greatest three-point proportion taking pictures groups within the league. However they managed simply 3-16 on Tuesday, not practically sufficient to offset their struggles within the paint.
5. Tuesday marked the return of Seth Trimble, who missed three video games with an higher physique damage. Trimble got here off the bench in his return and whereas he wasn’t himself offensively and was held scoreless, his presence was vital as a result of Elliot Cadeau was saddled with two fouls in lower than 4 minutes and needed to head to the bench early. Along with being a part of that perimeter protection above, Trimble had three assists and only one turnover.
6. He hasn’t been as flashy as Ian Jackson (who had 18 factors and 7 rebounds on Tuesday even on a comparatively “sluggish” night time), however Drake Powell has steadily been exhibiting some regular progress and was vital on Tuesday. The freshman hit 4 three-pointers to go together with his 4 rebounds, block and steal on his solution to ending with 17 factors. If Powell can constantly be a taking pictures or driving risk from the nook, Carolina’s offense turns into rather more harmful. Powell’s defensive flexibility additionally offers Carolina loads of choices.
7. RJ Davis had a game-high 26 factors on 8-15 taking pictures and likewise picked up 5 rebounds and 4 assists. The spotlight got here with 2:30 left, when he tossed in his closing three-pointer on the shot clock buzzer over the outstretched arm of Yigitoglu–which is a really lengthy outstretched arm. Sadly, Davis wasn’t round to see the tip after a defensive collision left him bloody.
8. One thing you’re keen on about Jackson: he is not afraid of something. He took a tough flagrant one foul from Yigitoglu halfway by way of the second half and earned a pair free throws. On the very subsequent possession, he drove proper on the Turkish large man once more.
9. Trimble’s return impacted the minutes of Cade Tyson, who didn’t play within the sport. Tyson has struggled to search out consistency, particularly towards the top-tier groups on the schedule, and has only one three-pointer within the final six video games. However he will be vital in some sport down the street.
10. Longtime Carolina followers will do not forget that the Tar Heels and Mustangs performed a three-game collection within the mid-Eighties. That set featured a sport in Greensboro, a sport in Dallas the lengthy misplaced Reunion Area and a sport on the Smith Middle. Carolina went 2-1 in these video games, with present assistant coach Jeff Lebo scoring 22 factors as a sophomore within the win in Dallas.
11. By no means know who you may see on the Smith Middle: former Maryland coach Mark Turgeon was within the entrance row and obtained a pregame go to from Roy Williams, who coached him at Kansas. Turgeon, correctly, was sporting a Carolina sweatshirt. Governor Josh Stein, a Chapel Hill Excessive alum and big Tar Heel fan, was additionally available for the primary time in his tenure.
