North Carolina found itself it an ugly, physical battle against Wake Forest but came through with a game-ending 11-2 run to give the Tar Heels a 68-59 ACC Tournament win, sending the Heels to a semi-final game against Duke. (3/13)
Officials, who decided to put away the whistles for long stretches at a time, lost control of the game as one Wake player purposely tripped an opponent, opposing players tangled up for double fouls and the Carolina bench picked up a technical after an obvious foul went uncalled. All the while the crowd and both benches were arguing non-calls or ticky-tac calls after more obvious infractions.
This all led to no flow to the game as both teams went multiple minutes without field goals. At one stretch in the second half, North Carolina went nearly 11 minutes between baskets.
An RJ Davis three with just over 15 minutes to go put the Tar Heels up by seven at 45-38 but Carolina failed to score another field goal until Jae’lyn Withers stroked a three from the left corner to put the Heels up 57-56 with 4:34 to go.
A controversial foul on Jaylen Washington that the Tar Heels felt should have been called on Efton Reed led to a free throw by Reed that tied the game at 57. That’s when Davis and Ven-Allen Lubin took over. During the run, Lubin slammed down two dunks and hit a free throw while Davis swished a three and hit two three throws.
“We were in these types of situations earlier in the year and we weren’t able to be stronger. We were able to do that today,” said UNC coach Hubert Davis, who added that his team has shown tremendous growth during the season. “I’m so proud of how they’ve stayed together and how they have committed to stay the course with perserverance.”
Lubin picked up his second double-double in a row with his two late dunks as he finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds. After the game he said that it was exciting to attack the rim on those dunks at the end but he admitted to being frustrated that he picked up four fouls during the game. The implication was that those battling him didn’t get in foul trouble. “So long as it’s physical and fair, I can rock with it,” he said.
In what could have been his last game as a Tar Heel after five years had Carolina fallen, Davis had one of his better games of the season as he led the Heels with 23 points, hitting five of six threes.
The rest of the team didn’t shoot particularly well. In fact, Carolina’s 33.9 percent from the floor was the team’s worst outing of the season. Seth Trimble was the third and final Tar Heel to score in double figures with 10 points but he was only one of six from the field as his scoring game from the free throw line where he was eight of nine.
Carolina started the game scoring on only four of its first 20 shots but the Tar Heels still somehow managed to rally from a 14-3 deficit to take a 33-31 lead at the half on a tip-in by Trimble.
There were 10 lead changes in the second half and Wake had chances to extend leads but the Deacons missed all 10 of their three-point shots in the second half.
“Whenever they scored, we needed to score,” said Wake coach Steve Forbes. “Our defensive effort was off the charts but when you only hit two threes in 22 attempts, it’s tough.”
Wake’s Hunter Sallis, an all-ACC pick two years in a row, led all scorers with 25 points but he also turned the ball over a game-high five times.
Carolina, now 22-12, plays Duke for the third time this season in the ACC Tournament semi-finals Friday at 7 p.m. A win could punch the Heels ticket to the NCAAs but with a loss Carolina must sit and wait, hoping for other teams around the country to lose.
No. 4 seed Wake Forest, who could still get a bid to the NCAAs or the NIT, falls to 21-11.