Carolina took full advantage of a trodden-down Yellow Jackets squad and picked up the pace a third of the way through the first half and never looked back. Once Georges-Hunt was sidelined, the Tar Heels rolled off a 12-5 run and began to turn the Jackets over like crazy. Carolina would force 11 turnovers from the Jackets in the first half (18 for the game) and that led to 21 points in the half on multiple fast breaks and easy baskets. The Heels, at one point, scored 11 straight points and took complete control. Marcus Paige was sensational on defense as he garnered a career-high six steals that helped fuel the defensive intensity all evening long.
"It's a four or six point game then all of a sudden it's an eighteen point game because they turned it over a couple times," Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams said. "I think that little spurt for us offensively was the most important part of the game for us particularly on the offensive side."
The difference in this game and the blow-out of the Jackets 11 days ago was the sudden emergence of a Carolina perimeter game. Remember last game, Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson dominated the paint combining to score 34 points. However, on this night, Berry stepped onto the court and immediately gave the Heels a lift, draining all three of his three-point attempts in the first half. Berry would play 20 minutes and his outside touch is a gladly welcomed sight in Chapel Hill as the Heels have been searching for another consistent threat from the outside to pair with Paige. Hopefully, Tuesday's game is just the tip of the iceberg of what Berry can deliver down the stretch in tourney time. The other freshman, Justin Jackson, contributed nicely to the flow of the game. Besides scoring 13 points, Jackson was tremendously active all over the court finishing with five rebounds and three assists. Mainly from so many fast break opportunities, Carolina tallied 17 assists on the night and, in the two games versus Georgia Tech, the Heels have dished out a whopping 43 assists!
Once again, Carolina produced a well-balanced scoring attack as seven Tar Heels scored seven points or more against the Jackets. The Tar Heel big men had a much quieter night on the offensive side of the ball this time around versus GA Tech. Meeks and Johnson combined for only 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting, but Johnson did not let that deter him from making waves in other areas. Johnson snagged a game-high in both rebounds and blocks with nine boards and four swats. That was incredible news for Carolina as Johnson has shown a tendency this season to not respond positively to bad shooting nights. But, tonight, it was Meeks who seemed to disappear somewhat due to foul trouble and a lack of aggression on the court. Carolina needs Meeks to find himself quickly as the Heels come down to crunch-time on the season.
Georgia Tech was led in scoring by Charles Mitchell and Demarco Cox with 16 and 14 points, respectively. The two were asked to carry a heavy load when Georges-Hunt went down to injury, but the Jackets never even had a chance as Carolina ripped through a team that has taken its share of lumps this year. As has been the case all season long, perimeter offense was very poor for the Jackets. GA Tech missed its first 11 three point attempts and finished the game a measly 1-of-16 from beyond the arc. The boys from Atlanta have had their hearts ripped out on many occasions this season (0-10 in games decided by seven points or less) but, after Tuesday's thrashing, the Jackets are left to limp into the ACC Tournament where they will begin play next Tuesday as one of the bottom 3 seeds.
With the game well in hand, Coach Williams had a superb opportunity to give his bench more minutes of action. The Tar Heel reserves combined for 73 minutes of playing time on the court. The above-mentioned Berry affected the game the most, but Nate Britt, Isaiah Hicks, and Joel James totaled 23 points and put Tar Heel opponents on notice that the depth on the UNC roster is to be reckoned with. Maybe the most exciting and surprising move on the night was when Coach Williams called for "#1" off the bench in the final three minutes of play. That, my folks, was freshman Theo Pinson who made his return after sitting out the last 10 games with an injured foot. And, Theo made an immediate impact. He scored on a 17-foot jumper for his first basket and then, not too long after, he drilled a three that signaled the Carolina bench to explode with exhilaration for their teammate. Pinson is a welcome returnee to the roster for the Heels as his aggressive defensive approach fits nicely into the scheme of things in Chapel Hill.
"I told everyone I was going to get one up!" Pinson said after the game with his trademark grin.
Not only did Pinson play, but Stillman White (out since December) and Luke Davis (had been out all season long) saw time on the court as Carolina has slowly, but surely, regained its health to further bolster the lineup. The Tar Heels have picked up some steam heading into the much-anticipated rematch with Dook on Saturday night, and Carolina will need its full load of energy and bodies to accomplish the monster task of beating a rival. After the last Georgia Tech victory, Carolina was totally outplayed by NC State and the Heels came out on the short-end of the stick. The Tar Heels are focusing on winning this time around and proving to themselves that they belong in the upper echelon of the conference.
"If we have a letdown this time, guys, we don't have a frickin' heart," exclaimed Coach Williams going into the regular season-finale versus Dook. "Come on...You're playing Duke and they beat us last time. It's the greatest rivalry in all of college basketball. If we get beat, it won't be because of a letdown."
The Heels will be ready come Saturday. Count on it.
Next Game: #19 North Carolina (21-9, 11-6 ACC)
vs
#3 Dook Blue Devils (26-3, 13-3 ACC)
Date/Time: Saturday, March 7, 2015 @ 9:00pm EST
Location: Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC
TV/Radio: ESPN or ACC Network / Tar Heel Sports Network
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