Coming from behind three games in a row proved too much for North Carolina as the Tar Heels came from 10 down to force overtime but faltered in the extra time as Michigan State won third place in the Maui Invitational by a 94-91 score. (11/27)
Carolina trailed by as many as 14 in the first half and went into the second half down 43-34. After trailing by 10 at 49-39, the Heels went on a 19-8 run – scoring on eight straight trips down the floor in just four minutes – to take the lead at 58-57.
A rattled Spartan team was about to call a timeout when MSU’s Jeremy Fears pushed off a nagging Eliot Cadeau and the officials called the foul on Cadeau in front of the Michigan State bench. There was some yacking and finger pointing, even by the Michigan State coaching staff. UNC coach Hubert Davis charged out of the coaches box and picked up a technical.
Courtside observers indicated that Coach Davis was reacting to the dust-up in front of the Spartans’ bench and wasn’t arguing the call – which nonetheless appeared to be a bad one.
MSU’s Frankie Fidler hit the two free throws as Michigan State went up 59-58. As it turned out, the Spartans never trailed again until briefly in overtime.
“I didn’t get an explanation,” Coach Davis said of the technical call. “Look, I’m an emotional coach but I don’t use profane language nor do I do it in a way to show up the refs. I was shocked that I picked up a technical foul.”
Michigan State, which outscored Carolina 50-30 in the paint, got a few dunks, tips and follow shots to keep the lead around four to eight points. With less than 90 seconds to go, it looked to be over as the Tar Heels trailed 80-73.
But Cadeau started a 9-2 run with an assist to RJ Davis, who was fouled. After that old-fashioned three-point play, Cadeau canned a three from the top of the key to bring the Heels within a point at 80-79.
With 34 seconds to go, UNC’s Seth Trimble forced a turnover and the Tar Heels went on the attack. With 20 seconds to go Cadeau beautifully flew by a pair of defenders but missed an open layup.
Following a pair of free throws by MSU’s Trey Holloman, who had a career-high 19 points, Carolina trailed 82-79 with less than 14 seconds to go. Following a timeout, Carolina’s Trimble got the call and put in a three from the right wing to send the game to overtime.
Midway through the extra period, freshman Drake Powell drained a three from the right wing and Cadeau hit a pair of free throws to give the Heels a brief 87-86 lead. But then Carolina missed four shots in a row and Michigan State went on a 6-1 run to hang on for the victory.
“We couldn’t keep ’em out of the paint, we couldn’t guard ’em one on one and we couldn’t get rebounds or loose balls,” Coach Davis said. “They want to get the ball in the paint and we just couldn’t stop ’em.”
Carolina shot well – hitting 50 percent from the floor including 11 of 23 from the three-point line but it wasn’t enough.
Powell, who had four threes, led the scoring for the Tar Heels with 18 points off the bench. Cadeau had 17 points, followed by Davis’ 16 and Ian Jackson’s 14.
Michigan State improves to 6-2 while Carolina, who plays national power Alabama Wednesday in Chapel Hill, falls to 4-3.