Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Five things from the Duke loss

By Zack Pearson

Feb 17, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA;North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams reacts in the first half game at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 17, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA;North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams reacts in the first half game at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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This team lacks the killer instinct

Feb 17, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils players celebrate as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige (5) walks off the court after the game. The Duke Blue Devils defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-73 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 17, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils players celebrate as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige (5) walks off the court after the game. The Duke Blue Devils defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-73 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

As much as you don’t want to hear it, it’s true. It’s been a reoccurring theme this year and something that has to be fixed, like now.

There’s no excuse for the Tar Heels to blow a game like that on their home floor. The team with all of the experience just lost a game to a six-man (arguably five) rotation that is young and hasn’t really experienced a game of this magnitude yet.

The Tar Heels had Duke in foul trouble with just over 11 minutes left. Marshall Plumlee returned to the game around the 11:08 mark with four fouls. Now normally a team would go right after a player in a situation like that, especially facing a short bench. But what did the Tar Heels do? They settled for jump shots.

Now give Duke some credit on defense. They essentially let the Tar Heels have whatever they wanted from the perimeter but just couldn’t hit the shots. Scoring just 11 points since Plumlee returned, including three-straight empty possessions to end the game.

This isn’t the first time UNC has lacked the killer instinct this year. A few times earlier in the season, UNC let games slip away in the second half. Something has to change otherwise UNC could find itself with the wrong matchup in the NCAA Tournament and it’s going to be trouble.

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