UNC Basketball: Tar Heels stunned at home by Wofford
The Tar Heels came up on the losing end of one of college basketball’s biggest upsets of the season
A night after Sylvia Hatchell notched win No. 1,000, Roy Williams’ squad came up on the losing end of one of the biggest upsets through the first two months of the college basketball season.
To begin the season, Wofford would not have seemed to be a challenge for the Tar Heels, but the Terriers entered the game on a four-game winning streak that included a home win over Georgia Tech.
In other words, Wofford might not be the pushover that some fans may have thought.
In the first half, the Tar Heels were not ready for them. The Terriers took an early six-point lead and just when UNC looked ready to put the game away, Wofford fought back to lead by one at halftime.
The second half looked to be a blowout as Wofford built up a 14-point lead behind the stellar play of Fletcher McGee. McGee, the nation’s second leading scorer, finished with 27 points including four made three-pointers.
This was Wofford’s first ever win against a top-25 team. The loss also ends a streak of 23 consecutive home wins for the Tar Heels.
Highlight of the Game
The highlight for the Tar Heels was the return of Cameron Johnson. Johnson played his first minutes of the season and brought energy and excitement off the bench.
The transfer from Pitt was supposed to play a big role for this team, but that had been on hold after an early knee injury sidelined him to start the season. Johnson scored his first points on two free throws after getting fouled following an open court steal.
Johnson finished with 10 points and three rebounds, while hitting 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Unfortunately, his debut came in the upset to the Terriers.
Player of the Game
Joel Berry II. Berry was one of the few bright spots for the Tar Heels, finishing the game with 23 points and five rebounds. The senior point guard, along with junior forward Luke Maye who had a double, did all they could to bring UNC back, but it wasn’t enough for the Tar Heels.
Notable Stat
20. The Tar Heels shot 20 more free throws than Wofford and still lost the game by four. Part of that was due to their 14 turnovers, five of which were committed by Theo Pinson.
What’s next
Up next for the Tar Heels is the Ohio State Buckeyes in New Orleans in the CBS Classic. The Buckeyes are currently on a five-game winning streak including a 2-0 start in the Big Ten. Hopefully, UNC will be better prepared for that contest.