North Carolina played perhaps its most complete game of the season in an 82-67 home victory over a good SMU team. (1/7)
With the score tied at 6-all, Carolina went on a 14-4 run highlighted by two three pointers by freshman Drake Powell and a three by fifth-year senior RJ Davis, who broke out of a shooting slump. Powell had four of UNC’s 11 threes while Davis and Ian Jackson each added three.
Meanwhile, the Carolina defense held SMU to a season-low 33 percent shooting from the floor, including just four of 18 from beyond the arc.
“I thought we were sound for the first 30 minutes on both ends of the floor,” UNC coach Hubert Davis. “From the offensive standpoint, we were getting exactly what we wanted in the halfcourt set, in transition and getting to the free throw line… Defensively, SMU’s got a really good team and they can score. We did a really good job doubling the post, creating turnovers and staying with their shooters.”
Carolina led by as many as 17 points in the first half when Jackson hit a three from the left wing with 1:29 left before settling for a 15-point margin at the half, 39-24.
The Tar Heels continued the onslaught working the margin up to 25 points on an old-fashioned three-point play by Jae’lyn Withers who scored cutting across the lane and was fouled.
Up 63-38, the Tar Heels got sloppy, turning the ball over four times in less than four minutes and going six minutes without a basket. The Mustangs’ 14-3 run cut the lead to 66-52 before Powell ended the run with a three and the SMU coach Andy Enfield , who had been warned for arguing calls, promptly picked up a technical.
As a result, Davis hit two free throws to put the Heels back up by 19 and thwart any further SMU comeback.
“We went back to fouling again,” Coach Hubert Davis said explaining the lead dwindling in the last 10 minutes. Cadeau, who got in foul trouble early, finished with four fouls as did Davis while fellow starters Powell and Jalen Washington had three fouls each.
Chuck Harris, off the bench, led the Mustangs with 18 points as SMU falls to 11-4 overall and 2-2 in the ACC.
Carolina placed three in double figures with Davis leading the way with 26 points while Jackson finished with 18 and Powell adding 17, 15 of which came in the first half.
The Tar Heels, who travel to NC State Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m., improve to 10-6 overall and 3-1 in the conference.