Creighton and North Carolina got off to a bit of a slow start until UNC forward John Henson picked up a technical foul with 13:43 remaining in the first half, tied at 11. Henson thought Creighton guard Grant Gibbs went for his injured left wrist when swiping at the ball. The call ignited things and the Tar Heels quickly jumped out to a double-digit lead.
The Bluejays closed the gap some, but the Tar Heels still lead Creighton 43-35 at halftime. Take a look at two areas the Tar Heels are excelling in and two UNC will likely look to improve.
Two up
# 3-point shooting: Creighton came into today’s matchup averaging 8.2 3-pointers per game — good for 25th in the NCAA — and the Tar Heels have often been shaky in 3-point shooting this season. But it seems the tables have turned a bit in today’s game. North Carolina, which is shooting 54.5 percent from the field so far, was 4-of-9 from long range in the first half of play. With 5:29 to go in the first half, a Harrison Barnes 3-pointer gave the Tar Heels a 39-24 advantage — their biggest lead of the game. If UNC can continue its success from deep in the second half, the Tar Heels could be tough to top.
# Kendall Marshall: Ever since his 22-point performance against N.C. State in late February, UNC point guard Kendall Marshall has proven to be a legitimate scoring threat for the Tar Heels. And today is no different. In a less than two-minute span in the first half, Marshall scored nine straight points for North Carolina, giving the Tar Heels their first double-digit lead of the game. Marshall finished the first half with 13 points and six assists.
Two down
# Rebounding: North Carolina has more rebounds than Creighton. That’s true. But while shooting at a 54 percent clip from the floor, UNC hasn’t really given Creighton many opportunities for defensive rebounds. Considering that, a 23-19 advantage on the boards should be expected. But Creighton has been impressive on the offensive glass. The Bluejays have snatched six rebounds on offense, allowing them a chance to extend that possession, and in some instances, score second-chance buckets.
# Turnovers: North Carolina committed four turnovers in the opening four minutes of the game, then went more than twelve minutes without another. In those twelve minutes, the Tar Heels outscored Creighton 32-17, but in the first four minutes of the game, both teams scored seven points. UNC finished the half with five turnovers, not an obscene amount, but certainly more than it wants. It doesn’t take much to see how much more effective UNC was playing turnover-free.
