Quick Hitters - North Carolina at Clemson

Isaac Schade presents Quick Hitters from North Carolina’s 63-50 road loss to Clemson on Tuesday night.

Quick Hitters from North Carolina’s 63-50 road loss to Clemson on Tuesday night.

Highlights:

Condensed Game:

• Not the first time Carolina has had a disappointing showing in the midst of an otherwise strong run (and it won't be the last). The 90-57 loss to Florida State in 2011-12 stands out as another prime example. That loss was one of just two in ACC play that year (the other was thanks to a buzzer-beating three-pointer in a game that we won’t talk about).
• Comparing tonight’s defeat to another uninspired loss provides precisely zero comfort in the present moment. It does, however, provide a reminder that just because a team looks like a shell of themselves in one game, all hope is not lost. Carolina has a great chance to bounce back against their arch rival on Saturday.
• Believe it or not, this is the first time in the history of the Carolina / Clemson series (156 games) that the Tigers have won three out of four games. It’s also just the fourth time that they’ve strung together back-to-back victories.
• The numbers were rather putrid all around tonight. Carolina scored 50 points. The previous low this season was 66, in the win over Notre Dame.
• Everything about this game screamed rebound domination for UNC. Coming into the contest the Tar Heels were first in the nation in total rebounds per game (43.12), while Clemson was 278th (33.2). Carolina was also first in offensive rebounds per game (15.69) and rebound margin (+11) while Clemson was 211th (9.4) and 227th (-1) in those same two categories. The actual numbers did not bear out that way. Carolina didn’t corral their first offensive rebound until there were 25 seconds remaining in the first half. UNC finished with seven offensive rebounds, the first time all season they’ve been held to single digits in that category. It was also the lowest total offensive rebounding percentage of the season at (22.6) and lowest field goal offensive rebounding percentage of the season (25.9).
• Armando Bacot, Carolina’s leading scorer, finished with just one point and one official shot attempt (he had another, but was fouled). In the first half, he had zero shot attempts. In the second half, Bacot finally took a shot, but it was blocked. It’s always going to be a rough night when your leading scorer is held at bay.
• After a streak of five straight games with 14 or fewer turnovers, the Heels committed 10 in the first half on their way to 17 total. This number was compounded by the fact that Clemson only committed seven, the lowest number by a UNC opponent this season.
• UNC tallied zero blocks for the first time all season. That hasn’t happened since the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament against Iona.
• The free throw struggles carry on. Carolina was 11-for-21 (52.4 percent) including a 4-for-10 stat line for Day’Ron Sharpe. You have to feel for these young men, who are obviously trying their best and just struggling right now. This was the third straight game in which the Tar Heels shot under 53 percent from the line, but the first in which it hurt them in the win column. Combined over the course of those three games, UNC is 26-for-53 (49.1 percent).
• Carolina reverted back to their early season first half struggle of getting down by double-digits. In this one, they were down by as many as 16 points, as late as 1:50 in the first half.
• Despite that deficit, UNC once again made a strong second half push, but it was all for naught. With 12:38 to go in the game, the Tar Heels cut the lead to four at 42-38. From there, they had five straight possessions with the ball at that same score. At no point in those possessions were they able to score and cut the lead to one possession. Here are the five results: (1) Platek steps out of bounds, (2) Davis, Brooks, and Sharpe all miss, (3) Sharpe misses two free throws, (4) Davis misses a jumper, (5) Bacot turnover. Meanwhile, Clemson hit a three right after the Bacot turnover to push the lead back to seven and the Tar Heels never got closer than five the rest of the way. In fact, Carolina only scored 12 points in the final 12:30. Not a recipe for success on the road.
• Caleb Love had a career high seven rebounds. His previous high was four.
• RJ Davis was the only Tar Heel to finish with multiple assists. He had two while six of his teammates each had one, for a total of eight. Although the total doesn’t seem like much, Carolina actually assisted on 47.1 percent of their field goals, because they only made 17.
• The Tar Heels actually shot a higher field goal percentage than the Tigers in the first half (44.4 to 41.4 percent). Clemson, however, led by 12 at the break. Why? That’s what happens when one team commits 10 turnovers while the other only gives up the ball twice. Clemson also doubled-up Carolina on made threes in the first half (six to three).
• Day’Ron Sharpe was the only Tar Heel to score in double figures (16), meaning that no starters finished in double-digits. To be fair, three of his teammates were right on the cusp – Walton and Love each had nine points, while Brooks finished with eight.
• Carolina scored two points in the first 6:23 of the game. Tough to start off that way, especially on the road, and come away with a conference win.
• The Tar Heels finished that first half scoring 21 points, the lowest output in any half this season.

Box Score

Roy Williams postgame press conference

Players postgame press conference

Garrison Brooks 

Day'Ron Sharpe

Remember to check in for Quick Hitters after every North Carolina basketball game. Next up is a road game against Duke on Saturday, February 6. Tip is at 6:00pm ET on ESPN.

.@UNC_Basketball's next 🏀 game:

• at Duke (@DukeMBB)
• 🌎 = Durham, NC
• 🏟️ = Cameron Indoor Stadium
• 📅 = Saturday, February 6
• ⏰ = 6pm ET
• 📺 = ESPN
• 📻 = TuneIn (https://t.co/skY7AUuAIP)#UNCatDuke

— Isaac Schade (@isaacschade) February 3, 2021

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