There were nine ties and 11 lead changes but North Carolina got hot in overtime and locked down defensively to stop Syracuse 88-79 in Chapel Hill on Senior Night. (2/28)
With it tied at 73 in overtime, Brady Manek hit a baseline jumper after sharp ball movement by the Heels. Caleb Love, who had a woeful shooting game in regulation, followed with a three from the right wing. After a third defensive stop in OT, R.J. Davis rattled in a three from the right side and just like that, Carolina had its largest lead of the game at 81-73.
“We punched first in overtime,” UNC coach Hubert Davis. “It wasn’t just the shots but defensively we locked in and made it tough for them to score.”
That wasn’t always the case earlier in the game. The Tar Heels had to overcome 36 points by Syracuse’s Cole Swider, who fouled out in overtime. It was the second most points by a Carolina opponent in the Smith Center.
The Tar Heels, who fell behind 9-0 to start the game, came back to lead 41-36 at the half despite 21 first-half points by Swider, tying his previous high-scoring game of the season in the first half alone.
Syracuse started the second half like it started the first half, going on a 10-1 run to take the lead back at 46-42.
Once Carolina tied it at 50-50 with just over 12 minutes to play, the game went back and forth through regulation.
Syracuse had a 71-70 lead late in the game and ate clock but turned it over on an inbounds pass with 15.6 seconds to go.
After Carolina called a timeout with 13.3 seconds left, Coach Davis told his team to go ahead and take the best available shot – that he didn’t want to end up shooting a desperation three at the buzzer.
Love, who was benched for more than six minutes in the second half, saw an open three from way out on the left wing with seven seconds left and he swished it for a 73-71 Carolina lead.
Joe Girard rushed down the court and put up a tough, contested shot from the baseline and it went down to send the game into overtime, when Carolina shined.
The Tar Heels hit five of six shots in overtime and held the Orange to one of six shots.
Four Carolina players scored in double figures as Manek had 22, Love had 21 and Armando Bacot and Davis added 17 each. Bacot also added 18 rebounds as he tied the Carolina season record with Bryce Johnson (2016) for most games with a double-double.
Carolina, now 22-8 overall and 14-5, wrapped up a double bye in the ACC Tournament with the win but they have a big regular-season ending game at Duke Saturday in Coach K’s final home game.
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