Every game from now on is like the season saving game at Duke last year where the Tar Heels were on the bubble and needed a victory in Durham in front of a ton of Alumni and other Cameron crazies to get into the dance.

No holding back it is put up or shut up time for the home team and right now this is this most IMPORTANT game of the year.

Clemson which has been on top of the ACC most of the season is not a automatic win at home like it use to be as they bring in a veteran time of three seniors , a junior and a sophomore and all of the upperclassmen are averaging scoring in double digits with forward Hunter Tyson leading the way at 16.1 and center PJ Hall close behind at 14.3. Chase Hunter helps with 14.1 average and Brevin Galloway at guard rounds out the double digit scorers at 10.

The Tigers front line goes 6’10 by Hall, Tyson at 6’8, at sophomore Ian Schieffelin at 6’7 which might make Carolina go small more than we are use to seeing with Puff and Nickel playing extended minutes instead of Nance.

Assuming Black is going to get the assignment of holding Tyson I would expect Nance to open up on Hall. I would rather Nance be on him than Bacot because unlike last game Carolina cannot afford to have Mando get into serious foul trouble.

On offense Black and Nance must try and score meaning to drive some instead of settling only for corner threes. Love and Davis must also go the basket hard either scoring or getting fouled.

Defense is the key to this contest and hopefully Carolina will use the full court press to rattle the Tigers which also hopefully will lead to a basket 🧺 full of turnovers and easy scores.

There is NO tomorrow, today MUST be the day that the team takes no prisoners and puts everybody else in the ACC on notice that the team is not dead yet…

Leaky Black, take a bow.

Jacob, Brandon and I are on press row, Kevin is on the baseline shooting.

Obviously this is a hige game. It won't reveal if this team has turned the corner, but a bad performance and loss will reveal whatever ills this team is likely to stay.

...stomping the fighting Pitinos.
Breaks my heart...

We need a change I’d go
Davis,nickel,puff,Washington,Bacot.

NORTH CAROLINA 91, CLEMSON 71
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2023
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.

UNC Scoring Leader: Caleb Love 23
UNC Rebound Leader: Armando Bacot 11
UNC Assist Leader: Love 5
Team Records: UNC 16-9, 8-6 ACC; Clemson 18-7, 10-4 ACC

• Carolina’s 91 points are the most by the Tar Heels in an ACC game this season and the most in any game since a 100-67 win over The Citadel on 12/13/2022.
• The 91 points are the most against Clemson in an ACC game this season (previous 87 by Wake Forest in an 87-77 Demon Deacon win on 1/17/2023).
• The 91 points (Clemson’s opponents entered the game averaging 67.1 per game this season) were the most by UNC vs. Clemson since a 92-87 win in overtime on 3/12/2011 in the ACC Tournament.
• Carolina led by 25 points twice in the second half, UNC’s largest leads in an ACC game this season (largest leads in any game except The Citadel).
• Carolina was 15 for 33 from three-point range. The 15 threes are the most by UNC in an ACC game this season and equaled a season high (15 for 31 vs. The Citadel).

• The 15 threes equal the seventh most in a game in UNC history and the fifth most in an ACC game.
• Carolina made 15 threes after making 11 in its last two games combined and 16 in its last three,
• Carolina shot 45.5% from three, its third-best percentage of the season (11 of 22 for 50.0% vs. Portland and 15 of 31 for 48.4% vs. The Citadel).
• Carolina is 7-0 this season when shooting 35% or better from three-point range.
• Carolina committed seven turnovers, which equaled its season low (also vs. NC State and at Duke).

• Carolina’s bench out-scored the Tigers non-starters, 25-22, the sixth time this season the UNC bench has out-scored the opponents (first time in seven games since a 26-10 advantage at Louisville).
• Carolina handed out 17 assists, most since 21 at Syracuse four games ago. Five Tar Heels had multiple assists today led by Caleb Love’s five.
• Carolina had assists on 10 of its 15 three-pointers. Seven different players had assists on three-pointers, including two each by Leaky Black, D’Marco Dunn and Caleb Love.
• Carolina led by nine points at the half (42-33), the Tar Heels’ largest halftime lead since January 14 at Louisville, when UNC led by 11 (37-26).
• Clemson scored 22 paint points, which equaled the fewest allowed in an ACC game this season (also by Georgia Tech and NC State).

• Love was 7 for 12 from the floor, 6 for 9 from three, had five assists and one turnover.
• Love tied his career high with six three-pointers (six last season vs. Florida State, Marquette and UCLA).
• It was the second time in his career he made six threes and shot 50% from the floor (6 for 12 from the floor, 6 of 8 from three vs. Florida State last season).
• Carolina is 5-3 this season and 20-3 in three seasons when Love scores 20 or more.
• This was the third time this season and ninth time in three seasons Love had 20 or more points and at least five assists.

• Love passed Pete Brennan and Rusty Clark for 44th in UNC career scoring with 1,347 points.
• Love tied Melvin Scott for 13th at UNC for the most three-pointers with 183,
• It was the fifth straight game and 15th time this season Love made multiple threes.
• Armando Bacot had 19 points and 11 rebounds for his 16th double-double of the season and 65th of his career.
• Bacot passed Rick Fox, Billy Cunningham, Brice Johnson and Rashad McCants to move into 17th place in UNC career scoring with 1,722 points.
• Bacot passed Duke’s Shelden Williams for sixth in ACC history in rebounds with 1,272 (Williams had 1,262).

• Bacot had five offensive rebounds. It was the 14th time in 24 games this season (and 41st time in his career) Bacot had at least five offensive rebounds. He has 448 in his career (second in UNC history behind Tyler Hansbrough’s 482).
• RJ Davis was 4 for 10 from three-point range. He had made 1 of 15 in the previous three games since he dislocated a finger on his shooting hand at Syracuse on January 24. It was the fourth time this season he made at least four threes in a game.
• Leaky Black was the primary defender against Clemson’s Hunter Tyson, who came into the game averaging 16.1 points per game. Black helped limit Tyson to 1 of 2 shooting from the floor for a season-low three points.
• Black was a game-high plus 25, his best plus/minus since he was a season-high plus 27 vs. Michigan.
• Carolina shot 80% from the free throw line (12 of 15), its second straight game and seventh time this season at 80% or better.

Series vs. Clemson
• Carolina is 135-23 all-time against the Tigers, including 60-1 in Chapel Hill.
• The Tar Heels are 29-1 vs. Clemson in the Smith Center.

Next Game: Monday, February 13 vs. Miami (7 p.m., ESPN)

Good game against Clemson. Team played under control. Guards were dribbling, driving, and dishing. Under control three point shooting.

Reason why I will not be fooled, because this team hasn't earned it. I was never under the elusion this team was going undefeated. What I was thinking is that we would be top 10 all year. This was the first blowout victory for a team that had some cupcakes early, that played with them until the end of games.

Reason for hope, Bacot has established himself as the only leader of this team. This is important as Davis and Love are dynamic players, but not the leaders (Davis is better at it than Love until this point). Bacot is the man, and this team needs to get that through there heads. This includes Coach Davis! He loves guard play so much, he may have forgotten he has one of the most dominant big men in the country on his team.

Second reason for hope, I don't think it needs to be advertised, but something was going on between Love and Davis, it just showed in there body language. Today was the first time they felt in sync to be honest. Maybe they got there situation worked out.

Third reason for hope, Puff looked like the guy we expected. Knock on wood we need that guy healthy. He just fits better. Nance is a okay player, but with us sacrificing a scorer for Leaky's defense, we need a real shooter out there. I like Nance when Leaky is not on the floor, just not together.

No Kudos, let's start to focus on beating Miami!