Morning Heel: UNC Tar Heels Daily News Links

Welcome to another edition of the Morning Heel, a daily feature here at Keeping It Heel. Along with The Hub we want to bring you not only our original content but a collection of all the best UNC news. Have a link to suggest? Send it to keepingitheel@gmail.com


UNC Basketball: Tar Heels Fall To Duke 68-73
North Carolina and Duke squared off in Cameron Indoor Stadium and the Heels gave the Blue Devils a game but in the end couldn’t pull out the victory after leading for the first 26 minutes of the game. (Keeping It Heel)

Tar Heel grit not enough to stop second-half Devil strength
There are no moral victories when it comes to North Carolina’s rivalry with Duke. So while the unranked Tar Heels did better than many expected at No. 2 Duke Wednesday night, leading the entire first half and by seven with 17:53 to go, they left bemoaning missed opportunities that kept them from pulling a shocking upset at Cameron Indoor Stadium. (Durham Herald-Sun)

Plumlee, Cook help Duke hold off Tar Heels
It took a lot more work than expected, but Duke finally produced the expected result Wednesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mason Plumlee overcame a sluggish start and foul trouble to finish with 18 points and 11 rebounds while point guard Quinn Cook added 18 points to lead the second-ranked Blue Devils to a 73-68 victory over the Tar Heels. (Wilmington Star News)

North Carolina loses to Duke, but it’s not all bad news for the Tar Heels
If the Tar Heels didn’t miss six straight free throws in the second half, this would have been a very different basketball game. For what feels like the first time since they hosted UNLV back in December, North Carolina was active and aggressive on defense. They jumped out to a 28-18 lead on the Blue Devils because they played as tough a brand of basketball as we’ve seen this season. (NBC Sports)

Three Things: Duke 73, UNC 68
Carolina jumped out to an early lead, thanks in part to good shot selection, some simple making of shots, and good movement defensively. The Tar Heels led by as many as 10 (28-18 at 6:43 first half) but were unable to weather the Duke run that you just knew was coming. Here are a quick few things: one positive, two negative, and a bonus fourth thing, from the loss. (Tar Heel Monthly)

UNC vs. Duke: Blue Devils go small, come up big
P.J. Hairston made just his second career start for the Tar Heels, and he rewarded coach Roy Williams with a solid effort on both ends. But Hairston is a scorer. That’s why he was in the lineup, and he had seven points in the first half. At times when he wasn’t on the floor, the Tar Heels’ offense looked disjointed. Hairston finished with 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists and even had a pair of blocks. (Sporting News)

Missed opportunities cost UNC in loss to Duke
Mason Plumlee had 18 points and 11 rebounds and No. 2 Duke beat North Carolina 73-68 on Wednesday night. P.J. Hairston scored 23 points and Reggie Bullock had 15 points with four 3-pointers for North Carolina, which led for the first 26 minutes but went on to lose its second straight. The Tar Heels were 13 of 23 from the free-throw line and missed 7 of 10 during a critical late stretch. (ESPN.com)

UNC Basketball Recruiting: Devin Booker 2014 SG To Visit UNC On February 23rd
2014 five star shooting guard Devin Booker 6-4, 175 pounds out of Moss Point, Mississippi, will visit North Carolina on February 23rd when the Tar Heels face rival NC State in Chapel Hill. Booker is one of several perimeter prospects the Tar Heels are showing interest in with the 2014 class. (Keeping It Heel)