UNC Basketball: Harrison Barnes’ big game thwarted by Hornets rally

Former UNC basketball standout Harrison Barnes continued his hot-shooting season on Sunday night against the Charlotte Hornets.

Barnes is putting together arguably his best overall shooting season since leaving the University of North Carolina in 2012. In his ninth year in the league, the former ACC Rookie of the Year and first team All-ACC selection is shooting a career-high 49.3 percent from the floor, and better than 40 percent from three-point range.

Barnes’ 16.6 point-per-game average is his most since the 2018-19 season (17.7) when he was in the final year of his contract with the Dallas Mavericks. His 6.2 rebounds per game are the best of his career, edging out the 6.1 rebound-per-game average that he had during the 2017-18 season. His 3.5 assists per game are a personal best, too, topping his former career-high of 2.2 assists per game from a season ago. Add to it the fact that Barnes is also carrying the best assist-to-turnover ratio that he’s had since high school, and it makes this season stand out even more.

He did his best to lead the Kings to victory over the Hornets on Sunday night, pouring in 28 points on an outstanding 10-for-14 shooting performance and 4-for-7 from the three-point line, but it just wasn’t enough. Charlotte, led by former Kentucky Wildcats standout P.J. Washington and rookie point guard LaMelo Ball, thwarted Barnes’ big game, and won by a final score of 127-126 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

Barnes also had the dunk of the game, an absolute show-stopper that had everyone in the arena on their feet when he threw it down over half the Hornets’ squad on the court.

Not only was Barnes shooting the ball well against the upstart Hornets, he was grabbing rebounds and dropping dimes throughout. He finished the game with six rebounds and six assists, as well as knocking down 4-of-5 at the free throw line. All in all, it was another terrific performance for Barnes, who is proving why the Kings went out and got the high-priced wing to help lead a group of young rising stars in one of the NBA’s most difficult divisions.

Check back with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on Harrison Barnes, and UNC basketball alumni across the league.