UNC Basketball: Another day, another major letdown

In a very crucial game for the UNC basketball program, the Tar Heels once again disappointed down the stretch en route to a costly loss.

What more can you say: the 2022-2023 UNC basketball team has been a MAJOR disappointment.

The Tar Heels essentially ruined any last chance of making the NCAA Tournament, as they let NC State dominate the final 10 minutes of the second half to avenge a loss to North Carolina earlier in the season.

Officiating was suspect, to say the least, but let’s look at the things that the Tar Heels could’ve controlled.

For starters, North Carolina turned the ball over 13 times. On the contrary, NC State was very good with basketball, limiting themselves to just two total turnovers.

Defensively, when the Tar Heels needed a stop, they simply couldn’t get it. Whether it was the guards allowing their opponent to drive freely to the basket or a wide-open three-point shooter, the Wolfpack took advantage of a North Carolina team that just seemed defeated down the stretch.

To add to that, the Tar Heels held a six-point lead and had a chance to pull away. However, the Wolfpack had other ideas, as a major 15-3 run put them up for good.

This team is consistent, in the worst way possible. Even though Hubert Davis has preached about making adjustments, we’ve seen the same rotation of players (mostly the starters, even when they aren’t getting the job done) along with the same sets and offensive schemes.

At what point does the coaching staff get held accountable for the lack of true adjustments?

Davis used the bench a little in the first half. In the second, only Puff Johnson was really able to make his way onto the court.

D’Marco Dunn was limited to under a minute of game action, while Jalen Washington didn’t even take his warmup off.

The most frustrating part of this whole season has been the expectations heading into it. From preseason No. 1 to a team that doesn’t even look like they’ll make the NCAA Tournament, we’re closing in on one of the most disappointing overall seasons in UNC basketball history unless things change quickly over the next few weeks.

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