Carolina is gradually growing into a deeper team.
Against arguably the three toughest opponents they have played this season, the 8-1 Tar Heels are improving step by step. Besides beating Kansas, whose star played injured, they have lost to No. 7 Michigan State in Florida, won at No. 18 Kentucky and used more combos on the court to handle athletic Georgetown of the Big East.
The Hoyas were missing several of their rotation but came to town with the lowest turnover rate in major college basketball and they gave Carolina a game for 30 minutes until the Heels’ increasing depth broke open the 81-61 victory.
The paint duo of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar both had double doubles for the second straight game, combining for 38 points and 29 rebounds while adding 4 assists and 4 blocks as the bench contributed a season high of 19 points in 46 minutes.
The all-around performance could give Hubert Davis a pleasant problem by the time Seth Trimble returns from a fractured left arm, which they both hope will be for the December 20 game against Ohio State in Atlanta.
Freshman Derek Dixon, who had been a spot point guard in the first eight games, split time with starter Kyan Evans, who played well with 7 points and 3 assists in the first half before falling into foul trouble.
The 6-5 Dixon, a good shooter and penetrator and a bit of a brute on defense, looks like he has to get more minutes moving forward. He came in earlier than usual, had 8 points and 2 rebounds in the first half and finished with a season high of 14 points that included 3 of 5 from the arc and played 27 minutes compared to Evans’ foul-plagued 20. They even played together some in a two-guard front.
Trimble, a senior and the team’s best defender, will get his starting position back, and Coach Davis will have to figure out how to share perimeter minutes with Evans, Dixon and Luka Bogavac, who had 14 points and 4 rebounds in 31 minutes against the Hoyas.
“When Trimble comes back, with Veesaar and Wilson, this will be a very dangerous team by the end of the season,” said analyst Seth Greenberg, who shared the ESPN halftime table with Kevin Keatts, who may be better as a TV personality than a coach at N.C. State.
Georgetown had foul trouble and resorted to a zone defense after trailing by only five points at the half, but Carolina adjusted and actually shot better from outside and finished 32 percent for the game. The Heels increased their edge on the glass from 6-plus to 9-plus for the game even with Veesaar and Wilson sitting out together for a stretch.
“Michigan State, Kentucky and Georgetown couldn’t be more physical teams,” Davis said, “and we have to be physical back. The last few games I think we have been.”
Featured image via Todd Melet
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.
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Against arguably the three toughest opponents it has played this season, 8-1 UNC is improving step by step.
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