Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball defeats Radford in season opener

By Nick Delahanty

Nov 6, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Elliott Cadeau (2) reacts with forward Jalen Washington (13) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Elliott Cadeau (2) reacts with forward Jalen Washington (13) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The UNC basketball program picked up its first win of the 2023-2024 college basketball season on Monday night against Radford.

The 2023-2024 college basketball season is officially underway.

Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program got their season started on a good note, securing a 16-point victory against non-conference foe Radford on Monday night in Chapel Hill.

The game was a lot closer than many expected, especially in the first half of play. Radford shot the ball extremely well, knocking down 50 percent of its shot attempts over the first 20 minutes of action.

North Carolina got off to a great start shooting the basketball, as they connected on each of their first five three-point field goal attempts. With Davis mixing and matching with lineups, the Tar Heels did have some struggles, especially protecting the basketball, but an 8-0 run to end the half gave the UNC basketball program a five-point lead heading into the locker room.

When the second half began, the Tar Heels slowly, but surely, started to pull away.

Armando Bacot was dominant, notching his 69th career double-double with his game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds. The Tar Heels had three other players score in double-figures, as newcomers Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan both scored 13 a piece.

The good thing is, this team is much deeper than a season ago, as 10 players saw a good amount of playing time. Guys like Jalen Washington, Jae’Lyn Withers, and Elliot Cadeau had their moments off the bench, as it’s good to see that Davis has plenty of options to work with.

No one should have expected the Tar Heels to be perfect in this one, considering how many new faces are in the mix and how fast North Carolina ultimately wants to play. At times we saw one too many passes or a forced pass that led to a turnover, as there’s plenty to watch from this game to improve upon.

What is noticeable about this team (thus far) is their effort and selflessness, as the hustle and willingness to find an open teammate are certainly there. Based on this small sample size, fans of the UNC basketball program should be excited to see what this group is capable of as they continue to gel together as a unit.

The Tar Heels return to action on Sunday afternoon, as they’ll host Lehigh for another non-conference tilt at the Dean Smith Center.

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