Foul trouble doesn't slow down UNC basketball as they win eighth straight game

In a game that felt like a four hour grueling slugfest, the UNC basketball program found a way to take home another ACC victory, this one at the hands of host Boston College.

A combined 46 fouls were called over 40 minutes of action, as neither team felt as if they could get into a rhythm. However, it was the Tar Heels that prevailed, as a second half surge helped them capture their eighth straight win.

It wasn't the best of starts for the UNC basketball program, as they struggled shooting the basketball early. Although they did end up shooting over 52% in the first half, the Tar Heels didn't protect the basketball well, coughing it up a total of 9 times over the first 20 minutes of action.

Armando Bacot was a non-factor in the first half, having picked up two early fouls. The Tar Heels' big man didn't even attempt a first-half field goal, as it was a rare occurrance that North Carolina was fortunately able to overcome.

Reserve big man James Okonkwo deserves a ton of credit, as he stepped up to play a season-high in minutes given the Tar Heels foul trouble situation. One of the biggest plays in the game came right at the end of the first half, as Elliot Cadeau connected with Okonkwo for an alley-oop to give the Tar Heels that aforementioned three-point lead heading into the locker room.

Unlike the first half, Bacot wouldn't allow the Eagles to take him out of the mix in the second frame. Bacot found his groove, scoring 10 second half points, as he finished the game just one rebound shy of another double-double.

Three other Tar Heels scored in double-figures, led by RJ Davis who scored a team-high 16 points. Cormac Ryan put together a 14-point outing, while Harrison Ingram recorded another double-double with his 11 points and 13 rebounds.

It was one of those games that was physical throughout, and the inconsistency of the referee crew made both fan bases very unpleased. However, if you're looking at it from a UNC basketball perspective, you'll certainly be happy that the Tar Heels were able to find a way once again to secure a victory, even though it wasn't as pretty as we all hoped it would be.

The Tar Heels were certainly battle tested in Chestnut Hill, and they were definitely up for the challenge. Given the contributions from 10 different players, it goes to show how deep in talent this year's UNC basketball squad is.

North Carolina has a quick turnaround, as they return to Chapel Hill to host Wake Forest in another big ACC clash on Monday night at the Dean Smith Center.