Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball: Message Heard, Statement MADE

By Nick Delahanty

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 04: Caleb Love #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels moves the ball against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on January 04, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 04: Caleb Love #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels moves the ball against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on January 04, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The UNC basketball program responded in a big way, as they defeated Clemson on Saturday afternoon to end their three-game losing streak.

Talk about a statement performance!

441. Final. 71. 432. 91

The message that was sent in the locker room after the UNC basketball program’s loss to Wake Forest seemed to resonate with the team, as they responded with a 20-point victory over the first-place Clemson Tigers on Saturday afternoon.

You can easily make the case that this was the Tar Heels’ best overall performance of the season, as they put together a tremendous effort over the full 40 minutes of play. The win goes to show just how capable this team is of making a run down the final stretch of the season.

Caleb Love was the star of this one, as he scored a game-high 23 points while tying his career-high of six made three-pointers. He did a little bit of everything over his 34 minutes of action, as his five assists are a testament to how impactful he was moving the basketball throughout the contest.

After delivering the much-needed locker room message, senior big man Armando Bacot didn’t just talk the talk but backed it up with his play. He finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, as he added to his already-captured program records.

RJ Davis had 17 of his own points, while Leaky Black made three of his five shots for a total of seven points. Black’s biggest contribution once again came defensively, as he held Hunter Tyson, who averages 16.4 points per game, to just three total points.

Puff Johnson provided a major boost off the bench, especially with Pete Nance being once again ineffective offensively, as the junior forward scored eight points while recording three rebounds and two assists.

As a team, the Tar Heels tied their season high with 15 made three-point field goals. As the old saying goes, everything looks better when the ball goes in the basket.

This is a huge win for the UNC basketball program, as the victory on their home floor helps them trend back in the right direction toward an NCAA Tournament berth. However, there’s not much time to enjoy this one, as the Tar Heels are set to host Miami on Monday in another huge contest.

dark. Next. Analyst believes Dontrez Styles needs expanded role

Follow us @KeepingItHeel on Twitter and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of UNC basketball news, updates, and recruiting.

Home/UNC Basketball