North Carolina continued its redemption tour from a disappointing 2022-23 season on Saturday in its 65-55 win over Related Press No. 16 Clemson.
Final yr, North Carolina grew to become the primary staff ranked No. 1 within the Related Press preseason ballot to fail to qualify for the NCAA Event.
The Tar Heels started that season 1-2 in convention play. With the win in opposition to the Tigers, No. 8 North Carolina (11-3) is 3-0 within the ACC this season. It additionally has spectacular nonconference wins in opposition to Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee to solidify its place as a probable NCAA Event staff. Per ESPN’s Bracketology, the Tar Heels are a projected No. 3 seed within the South Area.
Seniors R.J. Davis and Armando Bacot returned, with Davis main the Tar Heels in scoring (21.1 factors per sport) and assists (3.6 per sport) and Bacot main in rebounds (10.8 rebounds).
They led the best way in opposition to Clemson, every scoring a team-high 14 factors. Bacot additionally had 16 rebounds, giving him seven double-doubles this season.
Transfers Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan have additionally performed vital roles this season and mixed for 19 factors and 4 of North Carolina’s eight made threes on Saturday.
The 55 factors allowed had been the Tar Heels’ second-fewest of the season; they allowed 52 factors to UC Riverside on Nov. 17. Clemson entered the sport averaging 82.2 factors per sport, forty fourth within the nation.
North Carolina additionally had a robust defensive efficiency on Tuesday in opposition to Pittsburgh, holding the Panthers to 57 factors, 21.8 factors under their season common.
The Tar Heels seem like the staff many thought they’d be final season coming off a three-point loss to Kansas within the 2022 nationwide championship sport.
It took a yearlong detour, however North Carolina is a contender once more.
