Off the cuff: This game at Notre Dame seemed more like relief than anything else. The Tar Heels had lost their first two road ACC games this season - to Florida State and Virginia. Losing this one to a team without its two top scorers would probably have dashed Carolina hopes of a regular season title - even though it's still early. Sadly, people don't seem to value regular season titles like they did two or three decades ago. Nor do they even value ACC Tournament championships. Everything isn't about the NCAA title. Only one team is going to get that - and it would be a lot to expect this Carolina team to repeat. Each game in the regular season is as important as the next. If Carolina pulls this one out and then loses at home to Clemson for the first time ever on Tuesday night, it will have been a missed opportunity. Coach Roy Williams was very unhappy with the Tar Heels effort, saying they didn't play as hard or smart as the Irish. About all he found time to praise were the free throws by Berry, the dunk by Maye and the "decent" defense over the last six minutes. Well, that was enough evidently. Yes, Carolina should have played better and could very well have lost this game were it not for the cellophane the Tar Heel gods put over the rim in the last second. But the Tar Heels won and it was a big road win. It's better to build off this win than build off a loss. |
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