Tag: ACC Basketball

Notre Dame men’s basketball team brings offense in win over Dartmouth

Always nice to get a win like this.

After a win over Syracuse in its ACC opener, the Notre Dame men’s basketball team had two more nonconference games scheduled. The first of those games took place against Dartmouth, and it wasn’t in serious doubt for the most part. Although the Big Green made a late run, the Irish emerged with a 77-65 victory.

The Irish (6-5) led the Big Green (4-5) wire-to-wire mainly because of a better and smarter offensive attack early in the first half. They shot 63% from the field in that frame and held a 28-12 advantage in points in the paint.

Although the Irish’s shooting slightly tailed off in the second half for a final field-goal percentage of .525, their drives to the basket produced more overall success than the Big Green’s focus on 3-point shooting (6-of-33). They also were opportunistic, holding a lopsided 16-4 advantage in points off turnovers.

During the final minutes, the Big Green cut what had been an 18-point Irish lead in half thanks to a 9-0 run. But despite not making a field goal in the final five-and-a-half minutes, the Irish had built up enough of a lead that it proved to be inconsequential, and the Big Green got no closer.

[autotag]Braeden Shrewsberry[/autotag] led all scorers with 22 points, including four 3-pointers. [autotag]Tae Davis[/autotag] produced the fourth double-double of his career with 20 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. [autotag]Matt Allocco[/autotag] scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half and dished out a game-high five assists:

The Irish next will be in action Sunday against Le Moyne to close nonconference play.

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RJ Davis, guards able to earn transition baskets vs. Georgia Tech

UNC’s big advantage in fast break points helped it beat Georgia Tech on Saturday and snap a 3-game slide.

If there’s one area the North Carolina Tar Heels will consistently out-perform opponents in, it’s transition offense.

On Saturday, Dec. 7 in its 68-65 ACC-opening victory over Georgia Tech, UNC’s transition offense shined through once again.

North Carolina (5-4, 1-0 ACC) outscored the Yellow Jackets, 16-5, in fast break points. This was in part due to the Tar Heels’ improved rebounding, particularly from center Ven-Allen Lubin, but also due to their guards’ ability to quickly sprint up the court.

After the game, reigning ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis elaborated on why UNC’s transition game was so important – and why today’s production needs to continue.

“I told my teammates in the huddle that we’re really good in transition – and not a lot of teams can stop us in transition – because of the guards we have,” Davis said. “We are quick, we’re athletic. We have to get stops in order to run. That’s what we did, we were able to get out. I think Elliot (Cadeau) did a good job pitching the ball ahead. We ran a small lineup today, so myself, Seth (Trimble), Ian (Jackson), Elliot (Cadeau) did a good job of coming in – helping out with the bigs and the rebounds. We were able to leak out and get some transition buckets.”

Trimble anchored North Carolina’s scoring attack with 19 points, plus he added seven rebounds and four steals. Davis added 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Jackson scored 15 points, grabbed two rebounds and dished out one assist, while Cadeau filled up the stat sheet with nine points, six rebounds, four assists and game-high three steals.

Lubin and Jalen Washington combined for 14 rebounds, as the Tar Heels out-rebounded Georgia Tech by a 48-37 margin.

Even though UNC struggled throughout – and trailed late in the second half – it’s good to see that transition offense can still lead it to victory.

North Carolina will need consistent fast break opportunities to generate some positive momentum – and get back to playing a consistent brand of winning basketball.

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Seth Trimble says bigs played a major role in UNC’s victory, need to be consistent

Centers Jalen Washington and Ven-Allen Lubin played big roles in helping UNC down Georgia Tech Saturday.

The North Carolina Tar Heels have been searching for post production all season long, particularly given they don’t have the dominant presence of Armando Bacot anymore.

UNC targeted several big men in the transfer portal this offseason, but swung and missed on the biggest names.

North Carolina still has yet to find its go-to big man, but Saturday’s 68-65, ACC opening-victory against Georgia Tech showed it has not one – but two – centers who are capable of filling that role.

Ven-Allen Lubin started in place of Jalen Washington, recording five points, one block, a steal and led the Tar Heels with eight rebounds in 16 minutes. Washington played solid defensive basketball in 20 minutes off the bench: scoring two points, generating a steal and pulling down six rebounds.

North Carolina won the rebounding battle, 48-37. Nearly every Tar Heel recorded multiple rebounds.

“He brought a big presence down low, which is exactly what we needed,” UNC junior guard Seth Trimble said about Lubin. “Every big had a rough first half this game, but he (Lubin) had a really good first half, he had some offensive boards. He defended well, other than fouling out. But he did what we asked him to do. J-Wash had a really good second half I felt like as well. My biggest thing with them is, they need to come out the gate with their motive – and with a response right away – because we’re going to need them. They’re showing that they’re capable of it already this year. They just need to get back going.”

Lubin, who started every game for Vanderbilt last year, is the more experienced option for North Carolina. Washington spent the last two years learning behind Bacot – and despite still trying to grow into his potential, Washington looks like he took a step forward from last season.

Just like Trimble said: if Lubin and Washington can start producing consistently, the Tar Heels will play drastically better basketball.

Lubin and Washington did just enough on Saturday against Georgia Tech – and UNC finally is back in the winning column.

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UNC snaps 3-game slide, wins ACC opener

North Carolina finally snapped its losing streak Saturday in its ACC opener against Georgia Tech.

Entering Saturday’s ACC basketball opener against Georgia Tech, the North Carolina Tar Heels needed a win in the worst way.

UNC lost Wednesday’s ACC-SEC Challenge matchup against Alabama, 94-79, during a game in which it never looked comfortable.

Saturday wasn’t pretty, but North Carolina did just enough to escape with the victory.

The Tar Heels and Yellow Jackets traded leads throughout the game, but it was the Tar Heels who emerged with a 68-65 win in the ACC opener for both teams.

UNC’s (5-4, 1-0) defense looked great against Georgia Tech (4-5, 0-1), holding the Yellow Jackets to a 31.3 field goal percentage. A big part of North Carolina’s improved defensive effort was post play, with the Tar Heels limiting second-chance points and winning the rebounding battle, 48-37.

UNC arguably won today’s game on the fast break, outscoring Georgia Tech 16-5. North Carolina guards RJ Davis, Seth Trimble and Ian Jackson all played big roles in that advantage, quickly racing down the court after a rebound.

Davis, Trimble and Jackson combined for 73.5 percent of the Tar Heels’ points. Trimble led the way with 19 on 5-of-6 shooting and eight made free throws, Davis added 16 points and Jackson contributed 15 off the bench.

UNC announced a starting lineup change just moments before tipoff, with Ven-Allen Lubin starting at center in place of Jalen Washington. Hubert Davis’ decision paid off – despite Lubin fouling out late in the second half, he led North Carolina with eight rebounds, while also adding five points, a steal and block apiece.

Saturday wasn’t pretty. The Tar Heels struggled in moments. When the final buzzer sounded, UNC players and coaches breathed a sigh of relief. North Carolina won its first ACC game and the losing streak is over.

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UNC makes a change to starting lineup for ACC basketball opener against Georgia Tech

The UNC basketball team has a new starter in today’s ACC opener against Georgia Tech.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are mired in their coldest stretch on their young basketball season, entering Saturday’s ACC opener against Georgia Tech with three-consecutive losses.

UNC’s latest defeat came on Wednesday, Dec. 4 against Alabama in the ACC-SEC Challenge, as it largely trailed throughout and lost, 94-79. Despite outrebounding the Crimson Tide and scoring more points in the paint, North Carolina struggled to produce in the post.

In hopes of generating more of a spark Saturday, Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis is making a big change to his starting lineup.

Ven-Allen Lubin, who transferred from Vanderbilt in the offseason, will be starting at center in place of Jalen Washington.

Lubin scored eight points, pulled down four rebounds and blocked two shots in 17 minutes off the bench against Alabama. Washington struggled in just 12 minutes as a starter against the Crimson Tide: scoring just three points, recording five rebounds and turning the ball over twice.

Lubin is averaging 6.6 points and 4.3 rebounds through eight games this year. He has a pair of 10-point games under his belt: back on Friday, Nov. 8 in UNC’s 92-89 loss at Kansas, then on Tuesday, Nov 26 against Auburn in the Maui Invitational.

Something you’ll appreciate about Lubin: he’s shooting at least 50 percent in all eight of his previous appearances. North Carolina will need that kind of production from Lubin again today, especially with Washington playing so hot-and-cold.

If Lubin plays well against Georgia Tech, expect to see Hubert starting him a lot going forward. The Tar Heels are in desperate need of production from their big men – and Lubin gets his golden opportunity today.

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Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl thinks Duke basketball will ‘dominate’ the ACC

After the Blue Devils knocked off the Auburn Tigers on Wednesday, Bruce Pearl said Duke could enforce its will on the ACC this season.

After their 84-78 victory over the No. 2 Auburn Tigers at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Wednesday night, the Duke Blue Devils quietly have one of the nation’s better resumes to start the 2024-25 men’s basketball season.

Through their first eight games, the Blue Devils have a 6-2 record with a top-five win at home, a quad-one road win over the Arizona Wildcats, and two top-10 losses (by a combined eight points) to the Kansas Jayhawks and Kentucky Wildcats.

There’s a lot of basketball left to play between Thursday and the NCAA Tournament, but a dominant run through the ACC could position Duke for one of the four No. 1 seeds, and Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl thinks the Blue Devils are set up to do just that.

“This could be a dominant team,” Pearl told Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman on a live stream after the game. “I think this team is going to dominate the ACC.”

Goodman’s stream froze before Pearl could elaborate further on his take, but the advanced metrics certainly agree with him.

After the North Carolina Tar Heels lost their third straight game on Wednesday, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Blue Devils an 88.8% chance to win the conference with a projected win total of 26.1 games. KenPom credits the Blue Devils as the third-best team in the country with a projected conference record of 17-3.

Duke’s road to ACC dominance begins with a Sunday road trip against the Louisville Cardinals.

How to watch UNC-Alabama basketball: Time, TV channel for ACC-SEC Challenge clash

What channel is UNC-Alabama basketball on today? Here’s how to watch, including time, TV schedule, live streaming info and game odds.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are gearing up for another extremely difficult non-conference test, but this time, that test will be inside the Dean Dome.

On Wednesday, Dec. 4, UNC (4-3) will face a National Championship contender in Alabama in a 7:15 p.m. tip-off. The Crimson Tide (6-2) already beat a pair of ranked teams in Illinois and Houston, while North Carolina failed in ranked tests against Kansas and Auburn.

The Tar Heels have a major advantage for Wednesday’s highly-anticipated battle: they’re playing at home. Cue all the jokes about UNC having a “wine and cheese crowd,” but the Dean Dome gets loud, especially with a top-notch opponent like Alabama coming to town.

North Carolina went just 1-2 in the Maui Invitational, an extremely disappointing results considered the high standards it faces this season. A victory on Wednesday night wouldn’t quash doubts about the Tar Heels, but it would go a long way toward solving them.

What UNC has in RJ Davis and Elliot Cadeau, Alabama has in Mark Sears and Grant Nelson.

RJ still leads North Carolina with 18.4 points per game, despite his early-season struggles, while Cadeau’s big leap has him averaging 14.4 points per game and a Tar Heels-best 5.9 assists per game.

Sears (16) and Nelson (13.5) are Alabama’s top two scorers – and they played major roles in March’s Sweet 16 win over UNC.

If you’re heading to Chapel Hill, we’ll see you there. If you can’t make the game, make sure you familiarize yourself with all the necessary broadcasting information.

What channel is UNC vs. Alabama on Wednesday? Time, TV schedule

TV Channel: ESPN

Time: 7:15 p.m. ET

UNC vs. Alabama will broadcast nationally on ESPN in the ACC-SEC Challenge. Jon Sciambi and Jay Williams will call the game from the floor at the Dean E. Smith Center.

Where to watch UNC vs. Alabama

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch UNC vs. Alabama live on ESPN+” link=”https://go.web.plus.espn.com/Vmrv2O”]

UNC vs. Alabama prediction, picks, odds

North Carolina 87, Alabama 82: North Carolina is struggling after a 1-2 showing in the Maui Invitational, but a trip back to Chapel Hill is exactly what the program needs. UNC will be playing in front of a raucous crowd, which works in the team’s advantage. Once the Tar Heels find a rotation that works for them, they’ll be set.

All College Basketball Odds via BetMGM.

SPREAD: UNC -1.5 (-115); Alabama +1.5 (-105)

MONEYLINE: UNC -140; Alabama +110

O/U TOTAL: 176.5 (UNC -110, Alabama -110)

UNC schedule

Oct. 12: Blue-White Scrimmage (Blue 62, White 53)

Oct. 15: Exhibition @ Memphis (W, 84-76)

Oct. 27: Exhibition vs. Johnson C. Smith (W, 127-63)

Nov. 4: vs. Elon (W, 90-76)

Nov. 8: at Kansas (L, 92-89)

Nov. 15: vs. American University (W, 107-55)

Nov. 22: at Hawai’i (W, 87-69)

Nov. 25: vs. Dayton (W, 92-90, Maui Invitational)

Nov. 26: vs. Auburn (L, 85-72 in Maui)

Nov. 27: vs. Michigan State (L, 94-91 in Maui)

Dec. 4: vs. Alabama

Dec. 7: vs. Georgia Tech

Dec. 14: vs. La Salle

Dec. 17: vs. Florida (Jumpman Invitational)

Dec. 21: vs. UCLA (CBS Sports Classic)

Dec. 29: vs. Campbell

Jan. 1: at Louisville

Jan. 4: at Notre Dame

Jan. 7: vs. SMU

Jan. 11: at NC State

Jan. 15: vs. California

Jan. 18: vs. Stanford

Jan. 21: at Wake Forest

Jan. 25: vs. Boston College

Jan. 28: at Pitt

Feb. 1: at Duke

Feb. 8: vs. Pitt

Feb. 10: at Clemson

Feb. 15: at Syracuse

Feb. 19: vs. NC State

Feb. 22: vs. Virginia

Feb. 24: at Florida State

March 1: vs. Miami (FL)

March 4: at Virginia Tech

March 8: vs. Duke

March 11-15: ACC Tournament (Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC)

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Revisiting March’s UNC-Alabama Sweet 16 matchup ahead of Wednesday’s ACC-SEC Challenge

Do you remember when UNC and Alabama faced off in March’s Sweet 16 battle?

After nine months of waiting, the North Carolina Tar Heels get their long-awaited crack at revenge against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Wednesday night.

UNC (4-3) and Alabama (6-2) will face off as part of their new, highly-anticipated ACC-SEC Challenge clash. North Carolina spent Thanksgiving Week in Hawaii, where it beat Dayton before losing to Auburn and Michigan State, while the Crimson Tide lost to Oregon in the Players Era Festival title game.

Back in March, way before the UNC-Alabama ACC-SEC Challenge battle was scheduled, both teams faced off in the Sweet 16.

The top-seeded Tar Heels returned to the Big Dance behind an experienced squad, led by ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis and center Armando Bacot, while the Crimson Tide carried a deep, ultra-talented lineup led by Mark Sears and Grant Nelson.

Unfortunately for North Carolina, March’s Sweet 16 matchup ended in a disappointing, 89-87 loss.

UNC showed a troubling trend in that clash that I’ve witnessed several times recently: entering halftime with a lead, then enduring a cold spell that cost it the game. The Tar Heels were up 54-46 against Alabama, just like against Kansas in the 2022 National Title Game, then the Crimson Tide used a 43-33 second half to advance in the Big Dance.

North Carolina struggled to shoot the ball as a team against Alabama in the Sweet 16, making just 30-of-78 shots for a 38.5 percent mark.

RJ Davis struggled in particular, draining just 4-of-20 attempts – and failing to make a 3-pointer for the first time all season. UNC enjoyed an 85-84 lead with a minute left, then Jae’Lyn Withers took an ill-advised 3-point attempt the Crimson Tide rebounded – and scored on 23 seconds later.

If you’re looking at the Sweet 16 battle from an Alabama fan perspective, it was known as the Grant Nelson game. Nelson shot 6-of-9 from the field, including a 2-for-2 mark from downtown, while he made 10-of-13 free throws.

RJ and Withers are back, as is Nelson. Wednesday night in Chapel Hill is about to be a movie.

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Notre Dame standout guard Markus Burton leaves game with knee injury

Losing him long-term would be a brutal blow to the Irish.

(This story has been updated to correct a typo.)

Disaster struck for Notre Dame only a few minutes into its Players Era Festival opener against Rutgers in Las Vegas. As standout guard [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] drove to the basket for a short field goal, he fell down, and Scarlet Knights forward Emmanuel Ogbole landed on his knee.

Burton got up but clearly was in pain and headed for the bench, then to the locker room. When he reemerged, he was out of his uniform and in his sweatsuit with his leg elevated on a chair. It was a clear indication that he would not return to the game.

Burton was last year’s ACC Rookie of the Year and entered this game second in the ACC in scoring with 21.4 points a game. He also leads the Irish in assists (5.2), steals (1.6) and minutes (33.2).

Burton’s absence hurt the Irish’s chances against the Knights, but it could be disastrous for the team if he’s out for an extended period. Hopefully, that’s not the case. Keep reading here for any updates.

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Duke basketball star Cooper Flagg named ACC Rookie of the Week after 26-point game

Duke basketball picked up its second straight ACC Rookie of the Week award on Monday, this time given to superstar forward Cooper Flagg.

Duke basketball picked up a second straight ACC Rookie of the Week nomination when [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] picked up the award on Monday.

Flagg drew some scrutiny after two late turnovers in Tuesday’s loss to the Kentucky Wildcats, but he was the only Blue Devil to make a shot from the floor over the final 10 minutes in the 77-72 defeat. He finished that game with 26 points, his highest total so far this season, and 11 rebounds for his second straight double-double.

While Flagg only tallied eight points during Saturday’s blowout win over Wofford, he also racked up nine rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks against the Terriers.

Through his first four games, Flagg is averaging 16.3 points. 9.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.8 blocks.

[autotag]Kon Knueppel[/autotag], another member of the vaunted 2024 recruiting class, picked up the award after the first two games of the season. The Wisconsin native, one of four five-star freshmen on the roster, led the Blue Devils in scoring after he put together 22 points in the opener against Maine and 15 points against Army.