After North Carolina’s unexpected home loss to Pitt last week, nearly every game left on the Tar Heels’ regular-season schedule is a must-win if the team wants to make the NCAA Tournament.
The Tar Heels (19-8, 11-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) got back on the right track Saturday with a 65-57 victory at Virginia Tech.
North Carolina will look to continue its ascent on Monday night when it hosts Louisville in Chapel Hill, N.C.
“These are the kind of games we really can’t let slip,” Tar Heels senior Leaky Black said. “Virginia Tech is a great team, but unfortunately we needed this one more than they did, and that’s just what it was.”
With a difficult regular-season finale against rival No. 9 Duke looming, North Carolina needs to take care of business in every game between now and then.
Like the Tar Heels, the Cardinals (12-14, 6-10) are coming off a win in their last outing. Louisville posted a 70-61 victory over Clemson on Saturday behind 15 points from Noah Locke.
It was the Cardinals’ first win since separating with former head coach Chris Mack on Jan. 26.
“Our kids have struggled with the loss of their leader, with me taking over the reins again. I’ve struggled with some of my decisions,” Louisville interim coach Mike Pegues said. “We’ve gone at each other like any other family, and I’m just proud of our guys for hanging in there, for sticking together, and getting a really good win.”
UNC’s Armando Bacot played well against Virginia Tech, recording 12 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. Bacot averages 16.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game this season.
In order to upset UNC, Pegues knows Louisville will have to bottle up Bacot.
“He can’t have Wilt Chamberlain numbers,” Pegues said. “He is a 20-20 machine; he can’t have that. He is going to play, and he is going to get his numbers, but we have to contain him.”
Caleb Love also was key for UNC in its win over Virginia Tech, notching 21 points and seven assists with only two turnovers in 39 minutes. He also had three rebounds and a steal.
“This was his best game, I think, as a Carolina basketball player,” Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis said. “To me, this was the best I’ve ever seen him play. He had a great understanding of when to pass, when to shoot, and made great decisions.”
–Field Level Media
