UNC Basketball handles Johnson C. Smith in final exhibition tune-up

The UNC basketball program did what it was supposed to do on Sunday afternoon: dominate a lesser opponent.

Nothing against Johnson C. Smith, but they were clearly overmatched in a game that ended in the score of 127-63 in favor of the Tar Heels.

It was close early on, as the Tar Heels held a 25-23 lead through 11 minutes of game action. From that point on it was all North Carolina, as the UNC basketball program outscored Johnson C. Smith 102-30 over the remaining 29 minutes of action.

From highlight reel dunks to members of the Biscuit Boys making highlight reel plays, it was an all-around effort for the Tar Heels. Seven players scored in double-figures, led by 21 points from freshman Ian Jackson off the bench, as everyone seemed to get involved in this one.

Along with Jackson, Ven-Allen Lubin was fantastic off the bench. The transfer big man recorded a double-double, 18 points and 12 rebounds, making an impact on both ends of the floor.

Overall, the Tar Heels shot just under 63% from the floor in what will be the Tar Heels' final preseason tune up before the regular season gets underway in just about a week.

What can we take from this exhibition? Well, for starters, this team has a lot of depth. While the front court is still in question, the backcourt has plenty of options to work with, as we saw Hubert Davis mix-and-match with different lineups and rotations throughout the game.

Essentially, this is the type of exhibition game that will get fans excited for the upcoming season. From returning stars making big plays to newcomers (especially the freshmen) looking more comfortable by the minute, this group provides fans with plenty of optimism leading up to the start of the 2024-2025 season.