It didn’t even take a full week in the regular season for North Carolina to get its first real test in a top-10 matchup against No. 1 ranked Kansas.
While the first half was something to forget, UNC came back and made it a game before ultimately losing by just three points, 92-89, to the top-ranked team in men’s college basketball.
The first half was all Kansas.
UNC was losing the rebound battle and points-in-the-paint battle. RJ Davis, the reigning ACC Player of the Year, shot just 1-for-8 in the half while Kansas was shooting over 60% from the floor as a team.
Elliot Cadeau and Ian Jackson were the only two players at the break with more than one basket. The entire group of the bigs, including Jalen Washington, Jae’Lyn Withers, Ven-Allen Lubin, and Ty Claude, had two or more fouls at the half.
It was truly a tale of two halves. North Carolina came out of the halftime break a completely new team. They slowly chipped away at the 15-point deficit at one period going on a 14-2 run to not only get back into the game but even take a lead.
UNC had a three-point lead late in the second half. But every time UNC tried to pull away, Kansas would answer on both ends.
With one and a half minutes left, Jalen Washington made a layup that put UNC up 89-87. But Kansas quickly tied it and forced a turnover on UNC’s next possession. Then Hunter Dickinson made a layup that put Kansas back on top at 91-89.
After a full possession on the next play, Jalen Washington missed a corner three that eventually led to Dickinson getting fouled on the other end and making a free throw to go up three points.
Cadeau dribbled down, looked for Davis, and had no one open before eventually shooting a three that would have tied the game and just barely missed. Seth Trimble led the team with 19 points and four rebounds, while RJ Davis finished 3-for-15 from the field with 16 points.
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