By Adam Lucas
1. Second half offensive struggles torpedoed Carolina on the road, as the Heels lost 75-66 at Miami while shooting 26.5% in the final 20 minutes.
2. In a game that started out looking like an offensive showcase, it turned into a grimy, close to the rim battle. Miami made 11 field goals in the second half; nine of them were layups or dunks. Particularly problematic was Ernest Udeh, as the burly center always seemed to be dunking home a lob in big moments on his way to a game-high 15 points. The Canes rank first in the league in percentage of points from two-point shots in ACC games–they were as advertised. For the game, Miami had 19 layups or dunks; Carolina had nine.
3. They were also stout on the offensive glass, as the numbers suggested. Miami got 12 offensive rebounds, with the biggest sequence coming with two minutes remaining, as they got three shots before earning free throws in a three-point game. When Udeh missed the second one, he darted in to recover the missed free throw and score. You simply can’t have plays like that in the final two minutes of a road ACC game and expect to win.
4. Carolina spent much of the game with some unfamiliar lineups on the floor. Both Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson needed medical attention at various points in the game, and Wilson spent some nervous moments in the Tar Heel locker room for a second half stretch. Wilson did fight back, playing with a heavily taped left wrist, to work his way into double figures, finishing with 12. With the usuals limited, Jarin Stevenson led Carolina with 13 points. Wilson was -15 and Veesaar was -10, the two lowest figures on the team. Carolina is too dependent on the talented duo to survive those numbers against a good opponent.
5. While Miami was getting points close to the basket, Carolina was having offensive issues in the second half. The Heels made just 1-for-14 from three in the second half and 9-for-34 overall. They went through a 1-for-8 drought in a key stretch late in the second half.
6. Derek Dixon had one of those freshman games that freshmen are going to have, as he was 1-for-9 from the floor and 0-for-6 from three with four assists and four turnovers. Hubert Davis eventually turned to Kyan Evans in relief of Dixon.
7. Wilson had a slow first half, but the Tar Heels got big boosts from some unexpected sources. The UNC bench poured in 19 first half points, including eight for Evans in eight minutes and six for Luka Bogavac. Evans had been 1-for-13 in his last four games, and it was good to see him get back on track with a positive performance. For the game, the Carolina bench outscored Miami, 24-9.
8. Miami had good success in the paint in the first half, building a 43-40 lead on the strength of 26 points in the paint. But perhaps the biggest issue was Carolina turnovers; four of those live ball miscues led directly to eight points for the Canes. Miami mixed defenses often to keep Carolina off balance, but sometimes it was a case of making a careless play. The Heels were not crisp enough to win a game like this on the road.
9. One reason the Tar Heels had trouble offensively is because Miami short-circuited the UNC fast break. Carolina managed just two fast break points, and with no easy points available, the rest of the offense was a struggle.
10. The offensive issues in the second half were especially unexpected because Carolina had scored very well in the first half. The Heels shot 55 percent from the field and made 7 of 13 three-point shots in the first 20 minutes. That hot touch eventually deserted them, though.
11. Never know who you might spot when the Tar Heels travel south. Football Hall of Famer Julius Peppers was at the game with his family, and basketball Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo was also in attendance.
12. Carolina is back home Saturday against Pitt at 2 p.m. before embarking on a two-game road swing to NC State and Syracuse.
