Off the cuff: If ESPN can't get their technical issues solved quicker than that, they should allow the ACC Network to also air ACC games separately to local audiences. Carolina shot well in the first half and probably should have been up by 12 at the half - were it not for a buzzer-beater three after a Kenny Williams block that unfortunately went out of bounds with two seconds left. The Tar Heels couldn't do much with a hot Tyus Battle in the second half, especially during a five or six minute period when he scored 11 points. A 10-point Carolina lead midway through the second half evaporated by the three-minute mark. But a W is a W and sometimes it's better to learn how to deal with adversity and win close games than to blow people out. Still, it would be nice for Carolina to put away teams when they can. Seniors Theo Pinson and Joel Berry are ending their Carolina careers on a high note - so far. Pinson scored a career-high 23 points against Syracuse and was an assist master in the first half. His best assist may have come in the second half however when he passed behind his head to Sterling Manley for a bucket that gave UNC a 58-50 lead. Berry scored the last four points when the game was on the line. His steal and coast-to-coast contest layup with 1:36 left was the play of the game. The Tar Heels had nine steals on the night on defense to go along with 25 assists on offense. |
|