North Carolina took the court at the Lahaina Civic Center for the third time in as many days in the Maui Invitational and for the third straight game, they fell behind early. This time to Michigan State.
And while they made a comeback again, sending the game into overtime, they fell 94-91 in overtime.
The Tar Heels started the game off 0-for-8 from the floor in the first five minutes of the game, scoring just one point off a Seth Trimble free throw and watching Michigan State build their lead. They did finally get going as the bench led the way behind strong games from Drake Powell and Ian Jackson.
Both of them finished the first 20 minutes with 10 points each out of the Tar Heels 34 points. The five starters for North Carolina contributed just nine points total on four made field goals. The five of them shot 4-for-13.
The Tar Heels fell over the double-digit deficit mark in that first half but brought it back to a nine-point Michigan State lead at the break.
On par for North Carolina basketball this season, they fought back in the second half. In fact, midway through the second half, they actually took the lead, though it wasn’t for long.
Within less than three minutes on the clock, the Tar Heels brought the Michigan State lead down to one point with 30 seconds remaining. Elliot Cadeau missed a go-ahead layup with 20 seconds on the clock, leading to an RJ Davis foul that, after converted free throws, put the lead, 82-79.
Seth Trimble immediately hit a game-tying three with five seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. It was a back-and-forth overtime before the Spartans eventually built a five-point lead and held off another late run.
Cadeau finished with 17 points, three rebounds, and six assists. Powell came off the bench and was arguably the player of the game with 18 points on 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
North Carolina falls to 4-3 on the season and will face off against Alabama next week in the Dean Dome.
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