Cam Johnson on loss to NC State: “We have to defend better”

UNC’s Cam Johnson noted what the Tar Heels have to do in order to turn their season around

Saturday’s loss to NC State made it two-straight for the North Carolina Tar Heels in the loss column, dropping them to 5-4 on the Atlantic Coast Conference season.

It’s a record that not many people predicted the Tar Heels would have halfway through the ACC season. But here we are.

The loss was also another frustrating one for the Tar Heels as they just can’t seem to stay consistent and put teams away.

While all of the losses are frustrating, Saturday’s was just a little extra.

The Tar Heels lost 95-91 in overtime, a game in which they were up six with just 6:32 left to play.

There were chances for UNC to put the game away but they just couldn’t get enough stops on the defensive end to do so. The Wolfpack drained back-to-back three-pointers to tie it and then another with 1:34 left to tie it again.

They matched UNC down the stretch and were on fire from the perimeter all game long making 15-of-30 three-point attempts.

The three-pointer accounted for 45 of the Wolfpack’s 95 points in the game, showing another poor defensive effort on the perimeter for the Tar Heels. It’s something that has bugged this team all season long.

Following the game, junior transfer Cam Johnson spoke on UNC’s lack of effort on the defensive end and pinpointed what the Tar Heels have to do better as the calendar turns to February this week.

“We just have to defend,” Johnson said. “We have to defend better and play with more urgency and beyond that, just need to want it a little more. We have to get it done, it’s just a matter of getting it done.”

The Tar Heels have struggled all season long defending the three-pointer, with Saturday’s game being the latest example.

Through Sunday’s games, opponents are shooting 37.9 percent from the three-point line against the Tar Heels which is ranked 315th in the country. Opponents have made 225 of the 549 attempts, including 15 vs. NC State.

In the Tar Heels four conference losses this seasons, opponents have made 10-plus three-pointers in three of those games. The only game an opponent didn’t make at least 10 was the loss to Virginia when the Cavaliers made eight.

While Johnson noted the problem, how it can be fixed will be the biggest question mark. The wing said NC State getting penetration in the lane led to a lot of open threes.

“A lot of it came from penetration,” Johnson said. “They got into the lane a lot and got a lot of kick outs and they made shots.”

With two months left in the season and a critical final nine games in the ACC left, UNC needs to figure out how to defend the three.

Next: Tar Heels fall to NC State

If they can’t, their season could end early in the NCAA Tournament.