Christmas came early in Chapel Hill with the UNC basketball program picking up the signature, potentially season-changing, win they so desperately needed.
The Tar Heels knocked off No. 18 UCLA in a come-from-behind 76-74 CBS Sports Classic thriller. North Carolina erased a 16-point second half deficit in a gutsy team win. The Tar Heels looked fresh, rocking the retro blues!
Up until this game, UNC had endured their fair share of heartbreak, losing by three at Kansas, losing by three in overtime to Michigan State, and recently losing by six to Florida. The common theme in each of these games: the Tar Heels started slow, dug themselves into a massive deficit, and mounted an inspired comeback, but ultimately lost — coming so painfully close.
But tonight, on basketball’s biggest stage — Madison Square Garden — the Tar Heels flipped the script and completed their signature comeback win.
The Ian Jackson show has officially arrived as the ultra-talented freshman continues to breathe life into the Tar Heels. Jackson picked up from where he left off during his 22-point performance versus Florida, finishing with a team-high 24 points tonight. He shot an outstanding 61.5% from the field and knocked down three big triples.
“Captain Jack” was electric the whole game. He did a bit of everything — attacking the defense, slashing to the rim, getting to his spots, hitting step-backs and knocking it down from deep. It’s safe to say the Tar Heels found a keeper, and they’re at their best when Jackson takes over.
But the clutchest play of the game came from Seth Trimble with under 30 seconds to go. The Tar Heels trailed 74-73. UCLA inbounded the ball from their own baseline, throwing it to the corner. Trimble met Dylan Andrews with smothering defense, and Trimble’s active hands dislodged the ball off the Bruins player’s leg, giving UNC possession.
From there, RJ Davis sank two huge free throws to give UNC the 75-74 lead. Davis had 17 points and 4 rebounds in the contest for the Tar Heels. North Carolina then had a game-sealing defensive stand, stopping the Bruins. Drake Powell grabbed the defensive rebound and was fouled with just 0.1 seconds left. Powell hit 1-2 free throws to complete UNC’s 76-74 victory.
Now, some of the same concerning issues certainly still linger with this UNC team. The Tar Heels opened up the first half with yet another sluggish start. After Drake Powell kicked off the scoring with a smooth, pro-like runner, UCLA exploded for a 9-0 run in the blink of an eye. Carolina had no answers for UCLA big man Tyler Bilodeau, who had all of the Bruins’ first 11 points and finished the game with 25 points and five threes.
The Tar Heels also trailed UCLA 59-43 with 12:50 to go, giving the Bruins a 96.7% chance of winning, according to ESPN Analytics. Of course, Tar Heel nation is so excited that UNC secured an enormous win tonight, but the team will need to be more consistent and can’t rely on surmounting huge comebacks every game. Nonetheless, a win is a win, and UNC got the job done when it mattered most.
Let’s hope the Tar Heels can use the momentum from this signature win and carry it into ACC play.