UPDATE 4:57PM UNC CLOSES OUT STRONG AGAINST BC, WINNING 81-63, WILL PLAY LOUISVILLE TOMORROW AT 2:30.
- Nothing but layups and dunks for UNC down the stretch with Jackson and Paige leading the way. Hicks with the exclamation point.
- Hanlan 5 of 19 on the game, he got 18, and Brown led with 20, and this was your typical BC effort in a loss this year, with just that pair scoring. Hanlan did his best against a long Carolina team that made every shot he took a challenge today.
- UNC outrebounded BC 43-25, not unexpected, but a huge factor.
- Another key stat: Bench scoring 23-4 in favor of UNC. If you notice the final margin is 18.
- But the balanced starters, Paige, Jackson, and Johnson had 17, 12, 17 respectively, giving UNC an answer for anything the Eagles attempted.
- Another 17 and 9 for Paige duplicating an effort he had vs BC earlier this year.
UPDATED 4:42PM
- Whole lot of Hanlan, and UNC just uses possessions wisely. Hanlan got a pair of FTs, and a layup, but he also missed a three and the front end of the bonus.
- Meanwhile UNC is spreading it around, and consecutive Marcus Paige jumpers have the UNC lead at 15! Things unraveling quick for BC.
- Hanlan coming alive with a jumper and a FT. But the pro-UNC crowd quells that as Tokoto finds Brice Johnson wide open for a dunk.
- It’s the final TV timeout and it’s UNC 72 BC 60 with just under three minutes to play.
- And here’s Be Like Mike for 7th time.
–Chuck Workman
UPDATED 4:39PM
- Went from 12:20 to 9:50 with neither team getting a bucket. Berry hits two FTs.
- Johnson with a nice little jumper gets UNC back to 12.
- BC wants a TO, Tokoto with an offensive rebound putback. To me, this year it seems like Tokoto baskets count for four because the way he does it causes his team to respond. He’s easily the best athlete on the team.
- BC Got a TO, and perhaps it’s not quite too late. Olivier Hanlan hits a 3. His first of the game. We go into the under 8 TV timeout at 60-49
–Chuck Workman
UPDATED 4:27 PM
- Heckmann really making an impact here, converting a three point play, and then taking it strong to the hole despite a great block by Hicks of UNC.
- After a UNC answer from Berry, Aaron Brown is still carrying BC, knocks down a three, and BC has cut the lead to 54-46.
- We are quick to the under 12 TO, because the under 16 didn’t come until the 14 minute mark.
–Chuck Workman
UPDATED 4:17PM
- Hanlan misses his first look. Make that 2-of-11. UNC’s Joel James answers. UNC by 15.
- Advice to UNC: No more from the mid-range just an atrocious 1-of-13. They are better from beyond the arc.
- Hanlan hits 1 of his 2 FTs, and BC still down 45-31
- BC starter Heckmann began the half on the bench. Brant just says since he went to the pine BC is -8.
- After a fluky 3 pt play by BC, a Paige turnover, we have an Aaron Brown slam….and then another dunk on the next possession by Brown. He has helped BC cut it to nine. UNC 47-38.
- And Justin Jackson buries another three. He has scored eight points on just four shots, including two threes. This is found money for UNC. They go back up 12.
- Triple-double alert: Marcus Paige is at 8 pts, 6 dimes, and four boards.
- Gman with more astute observations in this game, on Brice Johnson: “He just stands near the basket with his hands high ready to catch.” And I bet the team that scores more wins the game too, G…..
- Hanlan is now 2-of-13.
- BC calls TO, down 12. 52-40. Carolina has an answer for everything BC does. 14:08 remaining. We still haven’t had the whistle after the 16 minute mark.
–Chuck Workman
HOLY MOLY….IS THAT HIS MUSIC….IT IS….CATES IS IN THE BUILDING!
UPDATED HALFTIME OBSERVATIONS WITH JUSTIN CATES:
Boston College is the least athletic team in the ACC and Carolina is taking advantage. BC has been a step slow on several occasions and they’ve paid for it with fouls (nine teams fouls). The biggest difference has been depth. UNC is without Theo Pinson and Kennedy Meeks, yet the Tar Heels have played 10 guys while BC has just eight. The situation is bad enough that Patrick Heckmann had to stay on the floor with two fouls and picked up his third. Olivier Hanlan has been pressing in the first half which is unusual. He’s forcing shots and his teammates have forced a number of passes to him. The Eagles need to settle down as they’re about to get run out of the gym if they aren’t careful.
As for Carolina, I think there’s a lot to say for Seth Greenberg’s analysis at halftime. This team lacks a killer instinct and isn’t nearly as aggressive as folks have grown accustomed to. Sure they still have runs like at the end of the first half to extend the lead to 13, but I don’t think it’s expected like in year’s past when the Heels would usually put their foot down and take control for good. I like their offense a lot more with Paige playing off the ball and that could be a recipe for success going forward for Roy Williams.
–Justin Cates
Updated 3:50 PM
- BC switches from zone to man, and it’s too much for their group, and Marcus Paige slips open and hits a three. You have to be more fluid and make sure everyone can get their man. That was not the case here. It looked clunky.
- JP Tokoto with beautiful alley-oop to Justin Jackson for a nice catch and lay-in. Tar Heels up 11 now, as this game threatens to get away from BC.
- And after a strong half-court possession following another Aaron Brown turnover. Brown had a miserable day vs GT yesterday. Missing four critical FTs, a couple of them front ends of the bonus. Today he’s scoring and making his FTs, but he’s turning it over and taking wild shots.
- BC’s cut the lead to 41-30, but they’ve only made four total FGs since past the 11 minute mark. They haven’t converted a FG since the 4: 22 mark when Hanlan made a layup.
- Hanlan a wild shot as he drove into the UNC bigs, he’s now just 2-10 on the half.
- Paige is forced into a fadeaway three from the right wing, not the ideal shot for a LH. UNC goes into the half comfortably in front 43-30.
–Chuck Workman
Updated 3:34 PM
- Joel Berry is giving UNC nice minutes at the PG, with Paige playing some at the two guard.
- Aaron Brown with BC’s last six points, taking the ball to the goal fearlessly trying to capitalize on Meeks absence by taking it to the Carolina bigs, looking for calls that aren’t there sometimes though. He needs to be more selective. Nonetheless, he leads BC with 10 pts so far.
- Not good news for BC as Heckmann picks up his third. He was a much needed third weapon for the Eagles in their win yesterday vs Georgia Tech.
- Hanlan has made just his 2nd basket to cut the UNC lead to four. He is only 1-of-9 from the floor.
- Not sure why UNC would even lament Kennedy Meeks loss with this load of a man on the bench. Jackson Simmons, all 6’10”, 285 of him is creating plenty of space for Brice Johnson and has that teardrop touch of his own. He’s a little bigger than Zach Randolph, and he’s right-handed, but he’s bullish and demonstrates a soft touch.
- We are at the under four TO, with UNC up 33-27.
–Chuck Workman
Updated 3:28 PM
- Brice Johnson with a big three point play. Nice dump in pass from Paige to get it over the fronting defender. UNC up 20-16.
- Huge three by Justin Jackson, he’s had some troubles from three this year, he extends the Tar Heel lead to 23-16. And Coach Christian of BC gets a quick TO. The TO nets a miss at the other end.
- Hanlan gets a breather as the 8 min mark approaches.
- Heckmann on a foul that was really kind of ticky tack.
- We move to the under 8 TO with a game that has progressed as one might expect. Paige has penetrated, Brice has been dominant in deep, and the Heels have been long enough to disrupt the perimeter efforts of the Eagles.
–Chuck Workman
Updated 3:18 PM
- Heckmann is on early again, just as he was yesterday. Big three, puts BC up 11-9
- Whistles are a little tighter early on in this game than the FSU/Clemson game. Isiah Hicks went to the bench with his 2nd foul at the 14 minute mark.
- Big Jackson Simmons of UNC with some high energy play and a bucket.
- Aaron Brown of BC didn’t call that. But the 3 banks in anyway as BC retakes the lead.
- UNC bench favorite Nate Britt with a big three to answer and we are tied at 16-16.
- Heckmann picked his second foul up showing on a screen and roll shadowing Paige, it was not the smartest of infractions.
- We go to the under 12, tied at 16.
–Chuck Workman
Updated 3:00 PM
- Again, Kennedy Meeks is out with a fever. This should lend to more BC optimism than we would have originally anticipated.
- Hanlan picks up where he left off with an early basket, nice dish by Patrick Heckmann
- Then Dmitri Batten knocked down a three. BC out early.
- Brice Johnson hits a little Jumper. Then throws down a vicious slam and yells something at BC’s Dennis Clifford.
- We are at the under 16 TO, with BC up 7-6
- 3rd time Be Like Mike commercial is on, he has only been surpassed by The DCHammer Mike Slocumb in number of appearances in DC area commercial breaks. Maybe the talking Food Lion is a challenger as well. And there he is.
- Having attended an ACC member institution, I’m a little insulted that they keep showing me Dodge Dart leasing commercials. Is this some kind of Ivy League driven propaganda to make us feel bad about ourselves? $129 a month. What did Ford not feel like advertising the Fiesta?
–Chuck Workman