Unlike UNC’s game against Wyoming on Tuesday, the Tar Heels turned in a first half they couldn’t fully make up for in their 78-70 loss to Georgia on Friday. Carolina shot just 25% from the field and from three in the first 20 minutes and allowed the Bulldogs to close on a 9-0 run to hold a 38-31 advantage at the break. The loss snapped a 21-game win streak at the Dean Dome for the Heels.
The second half was definitely a better offensive effort for UNC. They shot 40% from the field in the second half.
Georgia was able to make 14 three-pointers, though, and that was enough to come out on top of a close game. Terrence Brown was very good again, leading the team with 21 points and zero turnovers. Neo Avdalas and Isaiah Denis were the only other Tar Heels in double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Carolina made just nine of their 38 three-point attempts. They were also pushed around on the boards again, losing the battle on the glass 52-43.
Carolina led by as many as nine points in the game, and looked in the second half like they may have figured things out similarly to their win earlier in the week. Georgia is not Wyoming, though, and they were not going to go down easily. The Heels’ poor rebounding and lack of offensive efficiency, combined with the Bulldogs’ threes, proved to be enough for Georgia to walk away with a win.
It was an immensely frustrating game because it was very easy to see how the outcome could have been different. Allowing Georgia extra possessions often ended with the Bulldogs getting another three. Carolina also seemingly abandoned running actual offense down the stretch to their detriment as the game slipped away. These are not things you can afford to do against real Power 4 competition.
UNC will have a week to fix what they can ahead of next Friday’s game against Marshall.
