The UNC basketball program has scratched and clawed back into the top four of the ACC after a disastrous road swing that went through Dallas to California to Miami to, ugh... the Lenovo Center. But thanks to some perfect home cooking, the Tar Heels have climbed all the way up to #4 in the ACC, with just one road game remaining at Duke.
Clemson was the foil for North Carolina on Senior Night, and they were good value for money. This game decided who would be in fourth and fifth place, and a four-point margin in a tight defensive battle seems a fitting end to the contest.
Here are some lessons learned from a tough win over Clemson, in Seth Trimble's final game in the Dean Dome.
Rebounding Battle Won
In a game where UNC shot 37.9% from the field, and Clemson barely shot better at 43.3%, whoever won the battle of the glass stood a great chance at winning the game. The Tar Heels had one more rebound than Clemson (37-36), and their last one was the most important, when Seth Trimble secured Dillon Hunter's final effort. That board decided the game with no time to spare.
Henri Veesaar has had a swoon in rebounding prowess since missing time with a lower body injury. He missed the Pitt and NC State games, and then only grabbed five rebounds in his next two games. This was a disappointing stretch, especially since Veesaar had climbed into double-digit rebounds from the Georgia Tech game through the Duke win. He was making real progress with his board work. His six rebounds against Clemson, all defensive, were important since they cut off the Tigers' poor offense at source. If they couldn't shoot, don't give up any easy putbacks at the rim.
But the most important rebounder was Jarin Stevenson. The 6-foot-10 Alabama transfer has never been known as a strong rebounder, but he grabbed his career high last night with 10 (three offensive). It's frankly amazing that he's never had double-digit rebounds for the Tar Heels, considering how poorly they've shot many nights. But he picked the perfect night to step up and work on the glass.