CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –– After dipping out of the AP Top 25 poll last week, the Tar Heels (6-4) had ample time to collect themselves and earn a win over La Salle Saturday afternoon.
North Carolina has struggled all season with its mediocre post presence and low energy preventing them from finishing games. However, they played their most complete game of the season routing the Explorers 93-67 in the Smith Center.
One of the biggest points of emphasis in practice has been better spacing and interior play. For the first time all season, the Tar Heels finally put their bigs in optimal positions on both ends of the court.
“We did all the things that we practiced in practice which is why things went so well today,” RJ Davis – who scored 13 points – said. “We worked a lot on post entries and making the big guys a threat down low and not relying so much on the guards to be the heavy load.”
Getting the big man to make the right play has been a moot point all season with lack of consistency and missed assignments leaving all of the heavy lifting to the team’s guard play. Yet like RJ said, solely relying on the guards is not sustainable.
With four losses on the season, Head Coach Hubert Davis turned it up a notch in terms of intensity and adhering to the discipline and details of the game. This emphasis from him finally clicked for the guys on the court as the bigs were finally able to capitalize, namely junior forward Cade Tyson who delivered a season-high 23 points and a admirable 5-of-10 from the 3-point line.
“I thought my teammates did a great job of setting me up and putting me in the right spots, it was a great Saturday afternoon,” Tyson said.
It was just the second time this season that Tyson scored double figures. The last four games he wasn’t able to get any points on the board which forced him to question whether or not he would ever see his shot fall in.
“It’s been pretty frustrating, but I try to keep my confidence high and focus on getting better every single day and not worry about the uncontrollables. I’m feeling more confident about the work I’ve put in all week.”
Another big guy to earn double figures for just the third time this season was Ven-Allen Lubin who finished with 10 points and five boards. Lubin, who transferred from Vanderbilt, is still trying to maintain his own consistent rhythm noted that when players like Tyson get it going, this team is unstoppable.
“He’s a monster in practice and that’s something we were waiting on,” Lubin said. “I tell him everyday that if he can do this in practice, he can do it in games whether you just try and play with a free mind or with that confidence, play with a killer mindset and you got that in you.”
A morale-boosting win over La Salle was just what the Tar Heels needed, because this week will be an important measuring stick of how they fare against stronger non-conference opponents. UNC has not performed well against opponents outside of the ACC, suffering their four losses of the season to two SEC schools
(Auburn and Alabama), one Big 12 school (Kansas) and one Big Ten school (Michigan).
It’s time to really stick to their principles as North Carolina has two non-conference, road matchups against ranked opponents. First against No. 9 Florida (9-0) in Charlotte, N.C. on Tuesday and then versus No. 24 UCLA at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
Achieving wins over these programs will mark steady improvement as the Heels look to end the year in the win column.
Tar Heels Find Footing with Dominant Win Over La Salle