For the second straight game this season, the North Carolina Tar Heels used a big second-half push to get past a non-conference opponent. And for the second straight game, it was a double-digit win for Hubert Davis and his team.
After jumping out to an early lead, the Tar Heels allowed Lehigh to hang in the game. With 13:25 left in the game, Lehigh cut the lead down to 3 at 53-50. But a 37-18 run sealed the deal for UNC as they moved to 2-0 on the year with the 90-68 win.
The effort was backed by Armando Bacot who finished the game with 22 points and 20 rebounds, recording his 70th career double-double. He also passed Marcus Paige for 11th all-time on the program’s scoring list.
𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐍.#CarolinaFamily | @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/hDh6ObR7un
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) November 12, 2023
Guard R.J. Davis added 22 points while Harrison Ingram had 14.
The Tar Heels did grab the lead early on in this one, coming out and shooting the ball well. But then they hit a slump in the first half and it felt like Lehigh couldn’t miss. That allowed the Mountain Hawks to hang around longer than the Tar Heels would have hoped for.
UNC then turned it on in that second half, playing good basketball not only on the offensive side but on defense as well. It was a good all-around effort for the Tar Heels, especially after allowing Radford to hang around in the season opener.
Player of the game
This one has to go to Bacot. The fifth-year senior had another double-double and put the team on his back helping them get a win. Bacot has been a real treat to watch in his career and is off to a great start in his final season.
What’s next?
The Tar Heels return to the court on Friday night as they host UC Riverside in the Dean Dome. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. and will air on ACC Network.
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