ACC Tournament Live Blog: UNC vs. Virginia Tech

Heels, Hokies meet for first time this season

North Carolina and Virginia Tech meet in the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals on Thursday. The No. 6 seed Tar Heels pounded Notre Dame on Wednesday night to earn a spot in the game, while No. 3 Virginia Tech got a double-bye into Thursday’s round.

The game was originally scheduled to tip off at 9:00 or 30 minutes after the Duke-Florida State Quarterfinal ended, whichever came first. That lead-in game was cancelled, however, when the Blue Devils had a positive COVID test. So the Carolina-Tech game got moved up to an 8:30 tip. The winner will face Florida State, who now has a triple-bye into the Semifinals.

It’s the latest schedule alteration caused by the pandemic. COVID testing and tracing also explains why this will be the first time the Hokies and Heels meet this season. Their regular season matchup was postponed, then cancelled, when Virginia Tech had two midseason interruptions in their schedule. The most recent ends with Thursday’s game. Tech last played on Feb. 27. The Hokies were blown out by Georgia Tech the first time they returned from a hiatus. Tech hopes that it learned from that experience and will not suffer from rust against the Heels.

Tech will be without guard Jalen Cone, who has been out since early February with an ankle injury. He’s averaged 9.2 ppg for the Hokies this season.

Carolina is still unsure of the status of big man Garrison Brooks. The senior was a late scratch for Wednesday’s game after hurting his ankle against Duke on Saturday. He’ll be a game-time decision for the Heels.

The officiating crew of Ron Groover, Lee Cassell and Brian Dorsey will work the game.   

Garrison Brooks was at the free throw line, shooting with the rest of the team. Now he's beyond the arc, putting up threes. We'll see if he comes back out for the pregame layup line. 

Update: Brooks is in the layup line, and showing off his moves

I’m no doctor but ... Garrison Brooks looks ready #ACCTourney pic.twitter.com/y1tFuY30UO

— Shawn Krest (@ShawnKrest) March 12, 2021

Brooks is starting, along with Black, Love, Walton, Bacot. 

Carolina has missed five of its first six shots. At the under 16, Tech is up 7-2. 

Carolina sends five freshmen onto the floor after the timeout. Kessler, Sharpe, Harris, Davis, Walton. 

Platek throws a post entry pass about two feet wide of Kessler for UNC's fifth turnover. At the under 12, it's 16-10 Tech, and Carolina is lucky to be that close. Tech looks faster and nastier than the Heels tonight. 

Love for three, and the Tar Heels have clawed into the lead. Roy sat the starters for about five minutes, which seems to have sparked them upon their return. 

Love got knocked down on a layup attempt and didn't make it to half court before Tech scored at the other end. Roy immediately got Davis up at the scorer's table for him. At the under 8, it's 21-20 Heels.

Back-to-back turnovers for Carolina. The Heels are up to eight already. At the under four, Tech leads 29-28. 

Hokies are hanging with the Heels on the boards and doubling them up in the paint, 16-8.

26 of Tech's 33 points have been scored by Mutts & Radford. Heels have no one to put on them. They're driving and scoring at will. Combined 11-of-16 from the field with 6 rebounds. 

Carolina's four bigs have 15 points, 8 rebounds

Love misses a three at the buzzer, and it's 35-32 Hokies at the half. Carolina very lucky to be that close. It would be very surprising if it lasts. It seems like only a matter of time before the Hokies put together a game-breaking run

Garrison Brooks is 1-for-3 for 2 points, no rebounds. Outside of Shape, all the Carolina bigs seem hesitant. Tallest guy Tech has played is 6-foot-9, but they're driving and being more athletic than Carolina. It looks like the losses to A&M and Auburn that have ended the last two UNC NCAA Tournaments. 

Less than two minutes into the second half, Bacot & Brooks have both had rebounds slip out of their hands. Sharpe enters the game.

Love has three of Carolina's four shots this half, all misses. He's 2-of-10, 1-of-6 from three

Walton fouls a three-point shot. Cattoor hits 2-of-3.

Walton misses a layup at the other end, then Sharpe is called for a charge ... his third foul. At the under 16, Carolina is hanging in despite just about everyone being out of synch. 42-40 Tech.

Sharpe is 3-of-3 for 8 points. The other 3 bigs: 3-of-8 for 8. 

Brooks too soft at the rim, but Kessler gets the offensive board and turns it into a three-point play. Heels pull in front. 

At the under 12, Heels are up 49-47. Tech shooting just 4-of-11 this half, allowing Heels to hang in there. 

RJ Davis with a three, a steal and a three-point play. All of a sudden, UNC is up seven. Davis the only Tar Heel in double figures with 13. 

Just as quickly the other way. Mutts dunks in Sharpe's face. Love fumbles a breakaway attempt, Sharpe misses a layup. 

Back the other way. Davis miss tipped in by Sharpe. Another Davis miss rebounded and laid in by Bacot. Heels up 60-51. Time out Tech, 7:55 left. 

Sharpe feeds Bacot. Bacot putback. Bacot layup. Armando is up to 13 points. UNC up 66-56 with 5:48 left. 

Tech with back-to-back threes, but Davis matches one of them. Things heating up down the stretch. At the under four, it's 71-64 Heels. 

Tech three cuts it to five. Black matches it. 1:16 left. Heels up 8. Black steal. Davis dagger three. 

Heels up 78-67, 56.9 sec left. Davis has 19. 

Heels gut out a win on a night when they were off their games. Very impressive showing. RJ Davis held things together until Bacot was able to heat up late. Heels move on to face FSU in the semis, beating Tech 81-73