UNC’s comeback attempt against Wake Forest not enough, as Tar Heels drop fourth straight
Shortly after North Carolina lost to Duke on Saturday, the Tar Heels were exhausted and distraught. They had led by nine points with two minutes left, but lost in overtime to their rival.
Most players claimed they would move on from the loss the next day.
But on Tuesday, against Wake Forest, it appeared that loss had a carryover effect. There was little energy, and little defense from the Tar Heels in the first half.
Wake Forest jumped out to a 26-point lead early in the second half, and beat UNC 74-57.
The Tar Heels managed to cut the lead to 9 points with 2:37 remaining, but like so many of their games this season, their comeback was a little too late.
“The bottom line is Wake Forest had more ‘want to’ out there today,” UNC coach Roy Williams said after the loss. “More effort, more enthusiasm, better coaching. Everything that was involved in the course of the game, they had it better than we did.”
It was Wake Forest’s first win over UNC since January 2014.
The Tar Heels have now lost four consecutive games, all four since Cole Anthony returned from a knee injury. And that win against N.C. State on Jan. 25, suddenly feels like it happened an eternity ago.
Because UNC lost to Wake Forest, it is tied for last place in the ACC standings.
Graduate transfer Christian Keeling led the Tar Heels with 15 points. Anthony finished with 15 points, but was 5-for-19 from the floor.
Senior Andrien White led Wake Forest with 15 points.
While the Tar Heels entered Tuesday’s game with three consecutive losses, they led in the second half of all three games, and had a chance to win each.
Against Boston College, they led by one point with 30 seconds left. Against Florida State, they led at halftime, and lost by only six points. Against Duke, they led by 13 points in the final four minutes of regulation.
But against Wake Forest, the closest the Tar Heels got to leading in the second half, was trailing by 9.
The game was close initially. Wake Forest led UNC 12-10 after 10 minutes.
But the Demon Deacons scored 10 of their next 13 shots over the final 10 minutes, while the Tar Heels struggled. The Demon Deacons took a 44-26 lead into halftime.
The Tar Heels’ defense was about as bad as you can get in the first half. At one point, Andrien White hit a 3-pointer while being fouled, causing UNC coach Roy Williams to throw his hands in the air in disappointment.
UNC started the second half slow, too. The Demon Deacons led 54-28 after Wake Forest senior guard Brandon Childress hit a 3-pointer with 16:41 left.
And one
The Tar Heels managed to cut the lead to 9 points with 2:37 left, and had a chance to cut it to six points 30 seconds later, but Keeling missed a open 3-pointer. Wake Forest rebounded the basketball and was fouled on the next possession.
Personal foul
The Demon Deacons had little trouble scoring. They made baskets from all over the court. From outside the 3-point line, inside the 3-point line and the free throw line. From 10:16 to 4:12 left in the first half, the Demon Deacons made seven consecutive baskets and took a 33-19 lead.
The Tar Heels just didn’t have the same defensive intensity that they had against Duke.
ICYMI
UNC junior forward Garrison Brooks, who was questionable entering Tuesday’s game after suffering a scratched cornea on his right eye, started against Wake Forest. He played with protective goggles but ditched them with 5:17 left in the first half. He put them back on again, but late in the first half, he was hit in the mouth and had to come out of the game.
He had to get two stitches on his upper lip. He came off the bench to start the second half.
Making sense of the numbers
1: The number of 3-pointers the Tar Heels made. They missed 15 3-point shots.
14: The number of turnovers for the Tar Heels. It led to 16 points off turnovers for the Demon Deacons.
33: The percentage UNC shot from floor.
This story was originally published February 11, 2020 at 10:06 PM with the headline "UNC’s comeback attempt against Wake Forest not enough, as Tar Heels drop fourth straight."
