North Carolina, using a season-high 15 three pointers, broke open a close game late in the first half and continued the onslaught in the second half, beating Virginia Tech 91-59 on the road. (3/4)
The impressive performance, which included a 36-point lead at one point, included a 19-1 run and a 15-0 run for Carolina. The Tar Heels actually trailed 23-21 with 12 minutes gone in the first half before hitting the accelerator thanks to their defense.
“Defensively we started pressing the basketball and getting steals – Our ball pressure really bothered them,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “Offensively, we started taking care of the basketball and getting out in transition.”
Up just 31-28 with under four minutes to go in the first half, RJ Davis and Ian Jackson hit back-to-back threes to start a late run that ended with an old-fashioned three-point play for Seth Trimble and Trimble dunk at the buzzer.
Carolina extended the 46-29 halftime lead with the first four points of the second half. The Tar Heels ended any thoughts of a Hokie comeback when they hit four straight three-point shots over just two minutes of playing time.
Up 54-35, Jalen Washington drained a three from the right corner to start the run before Jackson hit back-to-back threes from the right wing and Jae’lyn Withers finished off the three-point run during what would become a 15-0 run.
The team win was so complete that Davis, who played in his ACC record-tying 169th game, did not play the final 13 minutes of the game. Still, he was one of five Tar Heels in double figures with 15 points.
Jackson, who sank a game-high five threes, led the Heels with 19 points followed by Trimble with 17. Drake Powell added 13 while Ven Allen-Lubin had his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
“We are playing our best basketball right now,” Coach Davis said, referring to the six-game win streak. “Something has changed in us – mainly we are more consistently doing the little things.” He said his squad has developed good habits.
“It’s about unity. We are just a bunch of brothers having the most fun we can have,” Trimble said. “But we still have a lot of do.”
Carolina, now 20-11 and 13-6 in the ACC, has a regular season finale with Duke Saturday at 6:30 pm.
Virginia Tech falls to 13-17 and 8-11 in the conference.
