Duke, Featured stories, UNC

Major UNC Basketball Recruit Attends Duke’s Loss to Kentucky

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It’s now obvious that first-year Kentucky head coach Mark Pope is on the right track with the No. 19-ranked Wildcats, as they improved to 3-0 by defeating No. 6 Duke, 77-72, at the Champions Classic in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on Tuesday night. And there’s no doubt that longtime UNC basketball offer holder Caleb Wilson took notice. Please click here for more.

Featured stories, UNC

Gritty Tar Heels rally but fail to hang on at No. 1 Kansas

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A gritty North Carolina squad came from 20 points down but failed to score over the last two minutes while No. 1 Kansas scored five straight to win 92-89 at historic Allen Fieldhouse. (11/8)

Carolina trailed 51-31 late in the first half and went into the break down by 15. Then the Tar Heels picked up the defensive intensity, quickly getting the deficit under double digits.

The Kansas lead hovered in the eight to 11 range until the Heels went on a 9-0 run midway through the second half to pull within a bucket at 77-75. A sweet turnaround jumper by Lubin and a three from the left corner by Jae’Lyn Withers highlighted the run.

Moments later a falling Withers got one to go in the lane to remarkably put the Tar Heels up 80-79 for UNC’s first lead since it was 10-7 early.

A Seth Trimble short shot inside off the backboard followed by a free throw by Jalen Washington put the surging Heels up 87-83 with 3:30 to go. But not much else went right for the Heels down the stretch as Withers, who had led the comeback, turned the ball over and missed a wide-open three from the right corner.

Meanwhile, Zeke Mayo scored in the lead to tie the game and Hunter Dickinson converted a contested layup to put the Jayhawks up for good at 91-89. Carolina had a chance to take the lead with 35 seconds to go but Washington was long on a three attempt from the right corner.

“I’m proud of them and their effort to get back in the game,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said of his team. “They put our team into position to win the game.”

He credited the defense, which lowered the Jayhawks’ shooting percentage from 60 percent in the first half to 49 for the game and went from losing the rebound advantage by a lot to outrebounding Kansas 40-39.

“It showed the potential of this team,” Coach Davis said. “Our team is full of talented players who enjoy playing together… This team can go to the highest level.”

They’ll need better shooting from fifth-year senior star RJ Davis if they expect to reach their potential. Davis, who shot poorly in the season opener against Elon, was even worse in this game, going just three of 15 including just one of seven from beyond the arc.

Davis did score 16 points, mostly from the free throw line, as he was one of six Tar Heels in double figures. Trimble led the way with 19 points while Elliot Cadeau had 12 and Withers 11. Lubin and Ian Jackson each scored 10.

Mayo led the way for Kansas with 21 points while Dickinson finished with 20.

Carolina, 1-1, returns home to face American Friday, Nov. 15.

For a boxscore and more on the game, please click here.