CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –– Today was a stellar opportunity for North Carolina (19-11, 12-6 ACC) to pick up a dominant win, picking off Miami 92-73 at the Smith Center.
It was the team’s fifth straight win, keeping their tournament hopes alive as they continue to pull away from lesser competition in the conference.
Forward Ven-Allen Lubin had his most efficient contest as a Tar Heel, missing just one shot the entire game. Lubin shot 9-of-10 from the field – ndelivering 19 points to go along with five boards.
Meanwhile, Jae-Lyn Withers had yet another double-double, his second in three games – pouring in 11 points and 10 rebounds. The duo’s emergence in the front court comes at the perfect time as the season winds down.
Despite never trailing, UNC’s defense was disconnected in the first half as the Hurricanes were within striking distance hitting 55 percent of their shots. An impassioned timeout by Hubert Davis invigorated the team to do better and that’s exactly what they did.
“He didn’t mince his words, that’s for sure,” said UNC guard Seth Trimble.
The message resonated immediately and Miami crumbled, missing nine of its final 11 shots as the Tar Heels took advantage, going on a 15-4 run to enter the half with a 15-point lead.
After the half, the game was completely out of reach with six Tar Heels reaching double figures. The ball movement was crisp and shot selection was disciplined as UNC’s intensity once again won them the game.
The victory comes at a crucial moment for the Tar Heels. We’re just a week away from College GameDay in Chapel Hill when UNC will host the Blue Devils (25-3, 16-1) and two weeks away from Selection Sunday where UNC still remains on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bracket projections.
Before next Saturday’s marquee matchup, North Carolina will travel to Virginia Tech (12-16, 7-10), a game they should easily win.
For a program with six national championships and decades of tournament tradition, anything less than an NCAA bid would be considered a profound disappointment, and something they already experienced in 2023.
With three guaranteed games remaining before Selection Sunday—the ACC Tournament will begin in Charlotte on March 11—the Tar Heels’ late-season resurgence might be enough to transform their season and make a respectable postseason run.