Tag: Jumpman Invitational

Deja Kelly becomes 25th Tar Heel to reach 1,500 points, helps UNC take down Oklahoma

Not only did the UNC women’s basketball team beat Oklahoma on Tuesday night, but star guard Deja Kelly reached a historic scoring mark.

For the first time in nearly a month, the UNC women’s basketball team is enjoying a winning streak.

Carolina started the year 5-0, then lost three in a row. The Tar Heels beat UNC-Greensboro to open December, lost to UConn, then obliterated Western Carolina on Friday, Dec. 15.

UNC picked up its second-consecutive win on Tuesday, Dec. 19, topping Oklahoma 61-52 in the Jumpman Invitational.

While the victory was a sweet early Christmas present, it was a basketball landmark for one Tar Heel.

Deja Kelly, one of the best guard in women’s college basketball, became the 25th player in program history to reach 1,500 points.

How Kelly reached 1,500 in Tuesday’s game, though, came via one of her season-best outputs. The senior scored a game-high 21 points on 7-of-14 field goal shooting, plus a 7-of-12 mark from the free throw line.

According to the Daily Tar Heel, Kelly also played the game with an illness. Sounds familiar…remember Michael Jordan’s flu game?

Kelly received a lot of praise from her teammates and head coach Courtney Banghart, who noted she wanted to suit up regardless.

ā€œDeja is a dog,ā€ senior forwardĀ Alyssa Ustby told the Daily Tar Heel. ā€œThat girl will do anything for her teammates, and she knows how much she brings to our team and so being sick, and she was pretty sick, and so for her to come out here and to play so selflessly and to even get to the basket and just hold her own was remarkable.ā€

We have yet to see anything on MJ himself complementing Kelly, but we’ll be on a close lookout for it.

What will Kelly and her teammates do for an encore on New Year’s Eve against Clemson?

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Cormac Ryan : We knew we needed to get this one

Cormac Ryan’s energy continues to impact UNC’s play, helping spark the 81-69 win over Oklahoma.

The UNC menā€™s basketball team has seen some significant success with their acquired talent from the transfer portal.

Wednesday night transfer star [autotag]Cormac Ryan[/autotag] displayed leadership qualities, helping electrify the crowd throughout the night with juggernaut defense and pushing the pace. Not only was Ryan involved throughout every aspect of Wednesday nightā€™s 81-69 win over Oklahoma, but his claps and talking to the crowd for more energy displayed the passion Ryan plays with.

After the game, Ryan spoke with the media about the energy displayed in the win.

“We knew we had to be physical and play with a lot of fire. I think that disrupted them at times, we were able to get steals, blocks, make them miss.”

Ryan continued to speak on the energy delivered tonight and how it will come into play for the remainder of the year.

“We knew we needed to get this one, and I think we came in with an edge about us that I think will do a lot of good things for us this season, playing with that edge, that fire, that toughness, especially against good teams like Oklahoma.”

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RJ Davis credits UNC fans for bringing the energy in 81-69 win over Oklahoma

RJ Davis talks pre season snub and credits UNC fans for bringing the energy in the 81-69 win over Oklahoma.

The North Carolina menā€™s basketball team got their eighth victory, beating Oklahoma 81-69.

The unique matchup on day two of the Jump Man Invitational did not disappoint as fans poured into the Spectrum Center. Despite playing on neutral ground, it sounded more like a UNC home game, with Letā€™s Go Tar Heels echoing throughout the game at critical times.

The welcoming atmosphere didnā€™t go unnoticed, with UNC star RJ Davis taking time after the game to express gratitude to UNC fans for pulling up and making it sound like a home game.

“The crowd was great, it was a home game for us. One thing about UNC fans is they travel well. They always going to bring the energy, and I think we fed off of that today. It was a lot of plays and a lot of runs that we made. The crowd got into it, and we took advantage of that.”

Davis also spoke about if he had a chip on his shoulder from being snubbed off a few preseason lists.

“It’s been something that I’ve dealt with. The doubters, not being placed on this list or that list. I stay true to myself and try not to pay attention to that. Not making the preseason team is what it is, I am not in control of who making decisions, but I’m in control of my mental and how I play….Awards are won at the end of the year.”

Davis has been on a torching run, with five games in a row of 23 points or more.

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Social media reacts to UNC’s dominant win over previously-undefeated Oklahoma

UNC largely controlled Oklahoma from start to finish in Wednesday night’s game, winning 81-69 in its second-to-last non-conference game.

With a pair of tough, consecutive losses to college basketball powers UConn and Kentucky, the UNC men’s basketball team needed a bounce-back win.

That wasn’t going to be easy on Wednesday night, with the 7-ranked Oklahoma Sooners coming to North Carolina for a highly-anticipated, non-conference clash in the Jumpman Invitational. Oklahoma entered the game averaging 84.4 points per game, which ranks 28th in college basketball, with an 81-47 thumping of Green Bay in its last matchup.

Not only did the Tar Heels just beat the Sooners, they made the Big 12’s lone remaining, undefeated team look uncomfortable throughout in a 81-69 UNC victory.

Carolina forced 18 Oklahoma turnovers, a welcomed sight to see after struggling defensively against UConn and Kentucky. Armando Bacot played much better by being aggressive in the paint, whether draining turn-around hook shots, blocking Sooner shots or pulling down rebounds. Four UNC players scored in double-digits, anchored by 23 from R.J. Davis.

While it wasn’t a home game for the Tar Heels, it sure felt like one. The Spectrum Center, home to the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, was filled with a sea of Carolina Blue. Chapel Hill is just a 2.5-hour drive from Charlotte, while Norman, Okla. is 16.5 hours.

Let’s take a lot at how Tar Heel Nation reacted to the timely victory on social media:

Tar Heels had Sooners first loss of year with big defensive effort

The UNC men’s basketball team played one of its most complete games on Wednesday, dominating previously-undefeated Oklahoma in Charlotte.

There’s no question that entering Wednesday’s non-conference matchup with Oklahoma in the Charlotte, N.C.-based Jumpman Invitational, the UNC men’s basketball team had suffered a couple of tough losses.

The Tar Heels played close with UConn before the Huskies pulled away, while they came all the way back from 12 points down against Kentucky ā€“ only for the Wildcats to end things on a hot spurt.

UNC started hot Wednesday night, never eased up and looked like the better team throughout, knocking off previously-undefeated, 7-ranked Oklahoma squad by an 81-69 mark in front of a Tar Heel-heavy crowd.

When the Sooners (10-1) started inching back late in the second half, the Tar Heels (8-3) had an answer. Carolina would either force a couple misses with its strong post presence, including a fired up Harrison Ingram and a much-improved Armando Bacot, or hit clutch shots like a moving three from leading scorer R.J. Davis.

This was worlds different from the Kentucky game, when UNC would choke under pressure with turnovers or rushed shots.

Carolina made a real impact in its statement win over Oklahoma, in large part due to its defense. The Tar Heels stole the ball 10 times ā€“ led by four from Ingram, plus blocked four shots ā€“ with three coming from Bacot.

UNC struggled with turnovers in the Kentucky loss, giving the basketball away 17 times. UNC took care of the ball much better against Oklahoma, turning it over just nine times to Oklahoma’s 18.

I said Bacot needed to step up tonight ā€“ he did big-time, netting 14 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Bacot was one of four Tar Heels to reach double-figures ā€“ Davis led the way with 23, Cormac Ryan dropped 13 and Ingram added 11.

UNC’s bench also played respectable, with head coach Hubert Davis electing to play 10 different Tar Heels. Seth Trimble, Jalen Washington and birthday boy Jae’Lyn Withers, a Charlotte native, combined for 13 points. Zayden High and Brown transfer Paxson Wojcik also saw playing time.

This game was a must-win for Carolina. Not only did UNC win, they beat a good, strong Oklahoma team in dominant fashion.

The Tar Heels have a week off, giving players and coaches alike a chance to spend Christmas with their loved ones, before returning to the Dean Dome on Friday, Dec. 29 to host Charleston Southern.

For now, Carolina can enjoy this win.

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‘We’ve got to be great in our ball screen defense’: Porter Moser on how the Sooners can stop North Carolina

North Carolina is going to throw a lot at Oklahoma but Porter Moser knows there one area that has to be great with their defense.

The day has finally come as the Oklahoma Sooners are set to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in the [autotag]Jumpman Invitational[/autotag]. This is a battle of top 13 teams in the country.

This is also a matchup of two of the best offenses in the sport. UNC is ranked No. 26 in the country, and Oklahoma is ranked No. 29 in the country in scoring offense. The Tar Heels’ offense is led by senior guard [autotag]RJ Davis[/autotag]. Davis has scored 23 or more in his last six games averaging 26.7 points per game during that span.

For Oklahoma, it’s more of a balanced attack. One game, it might be [autotag]Otega Oweh[/autotag]’s night. The next, it might be [autotag]Javian McCollum[/autotag]’s night, [autotag]Milos Uzan[/autotag]’s night, or even [autotag]John Hugley IV[/autotag] leading the way.

Porter Moser shared about the challenges of defending Davis. “The matchups with RJ, it’s got to be collective,” Moser said. “They set a lot of ball screens. We’ve got to be great in our ball screen defense. We can’t let him just run wild in ball screens. Our ball screen defense has been good. Much better since Day 1. Sam (Godwin) has really improved in his ball screen defense.”

But Davis isn’t the only one they have to worry about. North Carolina also has one of the best big men in the country in [autotag]Armando Bacot[/autotag], and one of the best shooters in the country in [autotag]Harrison Ingram[/autotag]. Bacot averages 15.2 points per game and 11.3 rebounds per game. Ingram shoots the three at 43.2%.

The Sooners’ defense will no doubt have their hands full Wednesday night.

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Juggernaut defense leads the way in a 61-52 victory over Oklahoma

The North Women’s basketball team’s juggernaut defense leads the way in a 61-52 victory over Oklahoma.

The North Carolina womenā€™s basketball program secured their eighth victory this year, beating Oklahoma 61-52 Tuesday night at the Jump Man Invitational.

UNC had a slow start to the game, as Oklahoma grabbed the lead early beating the Tar Heels 23-16 in the first quarter. The second quarter saw UNC’s defensive abilities lead the show, giving the Sooners fits to surge back to tie things up at 36 a piece at the half.

UNCā€™s juggernaut defense continued to dominate in the second half, allowing only four points in the third quarter and 12 in the fourth. UNC’s offensive efforts were led by star guard Deja Kelly, who finished with 21 points and six rebounds. Kelly also added to her UNC legacy in this game by scoring 1500 points as a Tar Heel.

The Tar Heels will get a nice break, with the next game coming on New Year’s Eve against the Clemson Tigers.

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Can the Sooners slow down a talented UNC Tar Heels squad in the Jumpman Invitational?

The Oklahoma Sooners are undefeated, but can they slow down the UNC Tar Heels in their toughest test to date?

Oklahoma has passed every nonconference test with the ease of a hot knife slicing through butter. And now, the Sooners are set to all but wrap up the marquee part of the nonconference schedule with one final showcase. This last test is unlike the others as the Sooners will take on one of the sport’s most prestigious brands, the UNC Tarheels.

Hubert Davis used the offseason to retool and reconfigure his team after they had one of the most drastic falls from grace last season after entering 2022 as the prohibitive favorite to win the national title and failing to not only get to the Final Four but not even make the NCAA Tournament.

His team is still spearheaded by seniors R.J. Davis and Armando Bacot, but the supporting cast around them is different.

For Oklahoma, head coach Porter Moser had to retool his roster as well. He lost eight of last year’s players to the portal or graduation. His staff worked tirelessly this offseason to rebuild this roster. Through 10 games, the results have been magical. The Sooners have risen from unranked to No. 8 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and No. 7 in the AP Top 25. They are competitive and play an exciting brand of basketball, yet they remain hungry for more.

We decided to check in with Zack Pearson of Tarheels Wire to get more insight about UNC, how they plan to attack the Sooners, and their season to date.

‘It was all baby blue’: Porter Moser knows the North Carolina faithful will be ready on Wednesday

While the Sooners didn’t play North Carolina a year ago in the Jumpman Invitational, their fans’ presence was felt.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are college basketball royalty. They have the third most wins all-time with 2,343. They also have the third most championships all-time with six, most recently in 2017.

The Tar Heels are also undefeated against the Oklahoma Sooners in the history of each program. The Sooners look to change that with a win on Wednesday.

But they are going to have to do that in front of one of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports; the Tar Heel faithful. While this technically isnā€™t an away game, itā€™ll be played in Charlotte, NC as a part of the Jumpman Invitational.

The Sooners defeated the Florida Gators last year in the Jumpman Invitational and Porter Moser shared that even though North Carolina wasn’t their opponent, their fans were out in droves. “I was there last year and even in our Florida game, it was all baby blue,” Moser said. “We know they are a storied program so our guys are excited about the next one up.”

The Tar Heels come into that game just outside the top 10 whereas the Sooners are firmly cemented in the top 10 as of now. Ultimately, this will be a measuring stick game to see if this Oklahoma team is for real as a top 10 team or if they are not.

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UNC Basketball vs. Oklahoma: Game info, preview, prediction and more

The UNC men’s basketball team will play Oklahoma, for just the second time in program history, on Wednesday night in Charlotte, N.C.

For the first time since Saturday, Dec. 2, the UNC men’s basketball team will play a game in North Carolina.

The Tar Heels will take on Oklahoma inside the Spectrum Center, at 9 p.m. ET, in Wednesday’s highly-anticipated Jumpman Invitational. The Sooners, who currently sit at seventh in the latest AP Poll, are 10-0 with signature wins over Providence, Arkansas, USC and Iowa.

UNC’s played a significantly tougher schedule than Oklahoma, facing the likes of Villanova, UConn and Kentucky, but sits at 7-3 and 11th in the AP Poll. A Tar Heel victory against a strong Sooners team would be the perfect bounce-back, but the Heels need to get more balanced production, excel in areas they’re typically strong in, plus not commit late-game mistakes.

Carolina and Oklahoma haven’t played since the 2009 NCAA Tournament, but both have become accustomed to deep runs over the past several years. The Sooners came close to their first National Title in 2016, making the Final Four, while UNC is two years removed from a title game appearance against Kansas.

Will this matchup start a new rivalry? Who knows, but it’ll pit two high-scoring squads against each each.

Let’s dive into a couple things you should be looking out for in Wednesday’s clash.