Somehow, some way, Carolina avoided what would have been the most damaging loss of Hubert Davis’ head-coaching career.
For the time being, at least, Carolina remains in the hunt for an NCAA tournament bid after surviving in overtime against the 17th-place team in the ACC that came into the Smith Center as a 19-point underdog with a 9-10 record and 1-7 in conference games.
It was the 21st overtime game in the 39-year-old Dean Dome and, surprisingly, moved Carolina’s record in those games to only 11-10.
Until the frantic last minute of regulation, Boston College outplayed the Tar Heels by shooting the lights out against a poor defense that often left the Eagles wide open to drain 14 of 24 three-pointers and hit 55 percent from the floor. They seemingly had the upset sealed with an 89-85 lead and 26 seconds left in regulation.
Davis and BC’s Earl Grant had exchanged a few dubious coaching moments, before the Tar Heels tied the score on four points by Seth Trimble’s free throws and a very tough driving layup. BC turned the ball over on three inbounds plays, once on a five-second count and the others when Carolina deflected passes into a scramble and possession went to UNC after reviews by officials. In turn, the Heels’ defense in the last few minutes failed to use three fouls they had to give to hound BC, which kept scoring from the paint and perimeter to hold onto its lead.
Drake Powell’s defense of Boston College’s inbounds plays single-handedly helped turn the tide for UNC in the final seconds of Saturday’s game. (Photo via Todd Melet/Chapel Hill Media Group.)
By overtime, the late-arriving crowd had come alive when R.J. Davis drilled his second 3-ball of the game (his other was on the first basket of the day) after Jalen Washington needed help off the court with what appeared to be a leg injury. The junior forward had matched his career high with 18 points, plus 6 rebounds and 3 assists. It still looked tenuous before BC finally ran out of gas and missed its last three shots and lost the game, 102-96, that it deserved to win.
Afterward, Washington claimed to be “all good” as the Tar Heels prepare for their toughest stretch of the season — after what was supposed to be a warm-up game. They go to Pitt (ranked 36th in the NCAA Tournament’s NET) Tuesday night and Duke (NET 2) Saturday evening, followed by a home rematch with the Panthers and a trip to Clemson (NET 30). Those games may well decide UNC’s post-season fate. The Heels are currently NET 40.
Of Boston College (Net 224), Davis said: “They played at a high level… a number of guys that normally don’t shoot that well were fantastic, but we allowed them to get into rhythm. I’ve told the group we’re at a point where improving is not enough. There needs to be change in consistency on both ends of the floor, it’s gonna have to change moving forward for the remainder of the season.”
The Eagles shot 58 percent, which was the sixth highest by an opponent at the Smith Center and the best since Pitt made 59 percent in 2022. BC’s 14 three-pointers tied the most by an opponent this season equaling Dayton at the Maui Invitational and had 20 assists, also the most against UNC.
Four Eagles combined for 77 points, led by 26 from Donald Hand Jr., son of the former Virginia point guard. Hand made 5 of 8 from the arc, as teammates Dion Brown, Josh Beadle and Fred Payne combined to hit seven from outside and nearly pulled off the upset.
“We’ve lost some games that we should have won and won some games we should have lost,” Davis added. “What’s getting us into these situations is not sustainable and just… moving forward, things are gonna have to change because we play Pitt on Tuesday and then we play Duke a week from today.”
Jalen Washington battles for a rebound against Boston College in the second half of UNC’s game vs. the Eagles. (Photo via Todd Melet/Chapel Hill Media Group.)
Washington did not start in Hubert’s still-fluid lineup, which featured Ven-Allen Lubin, R.J. Davis, Elliott Cadeau, Ian Jackson and Trimble for the first time this season. Lubin picked up three fouls in the first half and wound up playing only 13 minutes, opening the door for Washington to have perhaps his best collegiate game.
Lubin was on the court after JWash went to the locker room, and his only basket — a dunk assisted by Drake Powell — cemented Carolina’s 13th win overall and sixth in the ACC. Powell also did not start for the first time since Maui at the end of a chaotic week that included consecutive one-point losses and the good news of five-star power forward Caleb Wilson committing to UNC for next season. With the 6-foot-6 Powell now playing mostly out of position, he will be able to return to small forward if he stays for his sophomore year.
Trimble justified his return to the starting line-up and had his second career double-double with 18 points and a career high 12 rebounds in 43 minutes, most time on the team. Since missing three games with a concussion, Trimble needed to return to his fast start and helped the Tar Heels win a game they would have lost without him.
R.J. Davis continued improving his field goal percentage with 22 points on 6-for-11 from the floor and 2 of 5 from the arc, plus 8 for 8 from the line for the 88 percent foul shooter. The All-American also had 5 rebounds, 5 assists, a steal and zero turnovers.
Jackson recovered from two poor shooting games in the narrow losses to Stanford and Wake Forest, getting 15 of his 19 points in the second half with two 3-pointers that kept the Heels close. Carolina’s leading scorer in ACC games shot 8 for 13, had one assist and one steal but no rebounds after averaging nearly four per game.
Cadeau was all over the stat sheet with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 4 turnovers, 4 assists, a steal and blocked shot in 38 minutes. Carolina had 16 assists on the team’s 35 field goals, which is improving but still not up to UNC’s standard for sharing the ball.
The 6-foot-9 Wilson, the No. 9 overall player in the high school class of 2025, has boosted the Tar Heels’ recruiting haul to No. 7 in the country, which includes guards 4-star and top 50 guards Derek Dixon and Isaiah Denis, both of whom know Wilson from having played with him on the same all-star circuit. Wilson, who is from Atlanta, doesn’t lack confidence.
“I just looked at who the coach was, and I was able to build a good relationship with him,” Wilson said of Hubert Davis after announcing his decision Thursday night on TNT’s “Inside the NBA,” which is hosted by a panel that includes former Tar Heel great Kenny Smith. “I’ll be taking my talents to Chapel Hill.”
According to 247Sports, Wilson is the fourth top 15 player to commit to the Tar Heels under Davis, alongside Jackson, Powell and Cadeau and marks the third consecutive year they have reeled in top 15 players since Nassir Little (2018), Cole Anthony (2019) and Caleb Love (2020).
That’s another reason for optimism whatever happens the rest of this season and regardless of whatever roster shake-up is in the future. Davis is down to seven-man rotation, with Ty Claude, Jae’Lyn Withers and Cade Tyson combining for 11 minutes out of the 45 played and contributing 2 points and 3 rebounds on Saturday. Claude and Withers have no more eligibility, and Tyson has one year left.
Featured image via Todd Melet/Chapel Hill Media Group.
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.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
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