Live Blog: North Carolina vs. Northeastern

The Tar Heels take on Northeastern in a rare mid-February non-conference matchup.

North Carolina has now had three ACC home games canceled, including yesterday's game against Virginia Tech which was announced just prior to the Virginia game on Saturday. Earlier today, a fourth ACC game was postponed; next Tuesday's game at Boston College. 

With the Tar Heels running out of games and head coach Roy Williams wanting to play the full allotment of allowable games, UNC reached out via Twitter on Monday to search for an opponent for midweek. Later that very afternoon, Carolina announced that Northeastern would be coming to Chapel Hill to take on the Tar Heels this evening. 

The two programs have met just once prior, a 101-66 victory for the Tar Heels on March 15, 1991 (a month shy of 30 years ago). The occasion was the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, which was played in the Carrier Dome. Current assistant coach Hubert Davis and Rick Fox led UNC in scoring with 16 points apiece. Pete Chilcutt chipped in 12, while George Lynch did the same coming off the bench.

Do not overlook Northeastern. They are not a cupcake mid-major team, but rather second in the CAA at 8-2. The Huskies actually come in at 143 in the NCAA's NET rankings, several spots ahead of desired ACC opponent Miami, who is ranked 151. 

Look for Carolina to go with their usual starting lineup of Caleb Love, Kerwin Walton, Leaky Black, Garrison Brooks, and Armando Bacot.

Keep an eye on Carolina's player rotations tonight. Will Coach Williams go with his usual lineups in and out? Will he tinker with some possibilities against a non-conference opponent? 

Tune in at 7:00 ET on ACC Network Extra to see how the Tar Heels bounce back from their lowest-scoring game of the season last Saturday at Virginia.

• North Carolina starters: Caleb Love, Kerwin Walton, Leaky Black, Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot
• Northeastern starters: Tyson Walker, Shaquille Walters, Coleman Stucke, Jason Strong, Greg Eboigbodin
• Referees: Bill Covington, John Gaffney and Jeff Pon
• Puff Johnson is still out injured.
• Tyler Hansbrough is one of the commentators for the game.
• Roy Williams has a towel commemorating John Thompson draped over his shoulder.
• Anthony Harris is out tonight after suffering a concussion against Virginia on Saturday.

First Half

• Armando Bacot has a quick first four points and Carolina is out to an early 4-0 lead.
• Five possessions, three turnovers for UNC.
• 1st half under-16:00 media timeout, Northeastern leads 7-4 behind a 7-0 run in the last 1:16.
• RJ Davis knocks in two free throws to tie the game at eight. 
• Quick 6-0 run for Carolina (four from Sharpe, two from Davis) gains the lead back at 10-8.
• Back-to-back threes from Walton and Platek. Heels lead 16-13. 
• We head to the under-12:00 media timeout with Carolina up 16-13 and RJ Davis headed back to the line for two more. Carolina on an extended 12-5 run, will be 14-5 if Davis hits both.
• Run is up to 16-5 with a BLOB lob to Brooks. Score is up to 20-13.
• Bacot hits the same mid-range that Sharpe knocked down earlier. 22-13 Heels. 9-0 run (18-5 extended).
• Carolina now up to seven turnovers with 8:10 still to go before halftime.
• A Garrison Brooks foul sends us to the under-8:00 timeout at 7:55. Heels lead 22-16. Northeastern ball after the break.
• Tyson Walker has 14 of Northeastern's 16 points. 
• Carolina's bigs continue a trend from Saturday at Virginia, missing several bunnies.
• After a bit of a scoring drought, Day'Ron Sharpe picks up the layup plus the free throw.
• Walker Kessler knocks down the first three of his Carolina career!
• Beautiful give-and-go from Caleb Love to Day'Ron Sharpe for a dunk.
• First half under-4:00 timeout at 3:59. Heels lead 32-36 and will have the ball after the break.
• Tyson Walker is up to 19 of Northeastern's 26 points, 73.1% of the Huskies' scoring.
• Platek picks up two offensive rebounds within about 15 seconds of each other. Puts the second back for two. Then gets a steal and a run-out layup.
• Great scramble defense for Heels gives them the ball with 5.9 before halftime. Carolina timeout.
• Caleb Love drives all the way to the hoop and draws a foul. Hits both free throws. Northeastern throws the inbounds out of bounds and Carolina gets the ball once more with 1.6 seconds.
• Day'Ron Sharpe misses another bunny as well as the follow comes down awkwardly on his ankle. Limps to the locker room under his own power heading into halftime.
• Carolina leads 41-30 at the break. Platek and Sharpe tie for the team lead with nine points. 
• Caleb Love finishes the first half with six assists against just two turnovers. His career high for an entire game is seven (against Duke).

Second Half

• Kerwin Walton starts the second half with a three and gets fouled (which he makes).
• Day'Ron Sharpe is on the bench in uniform. Should be good to go.
• Walton proves once again he is more than a shooter with a pump-fake and nice mid-range jumper.
• Bacot becomes the third big to hit the free throw line jumper.
• Second half under-16:00 timeout at 13:09. Heels lead 57-44. Northeastern ball after the break. 
• All nine Tar Heels that have played have scored.
• The bigs continue to miss bunnies.
• Under-12:00 timeout, Carolina leads 59-45. Northeastern ball after the break.
• Great fastbreak alley-oop from Davis to Brooks for two. First Tar Heel in double-digits. Brooks now has a double-double, his second of the season.
• Walker Kessler with an incredible anticipation steal and fastbreak dunk.
• Sharpe seems to be moving okay, finishing his second give-and-go of the game.
• Walker Kessler takes another three, misses, but follows his shot and after a few offensive rebounds, gets the putback.
• Walton hits his third three of the night, for 14 points, matching his career high. 
• Tar Heels shooting much better from the free throw line tonight: 13-16 right now.
• Walker Kessler into double-digits, the fourth Tar Heel to do so. Follows up his layup with a block.
• Timeout with 1:39 to go. Heels up 80-60. Walk-ons checking in.
• After seven turnovers in the first 11:15, the Tar Heels only have three since.
• Creighton Lebo now has baskets in back-to-back games. Then draws a charge on the other side of the court.
• Carolina dribbles out the clock. Heels win 82-62. Day'Ron Sharpe leads the way with 15 points.