Notre Dame hands UNC men's basketball second consecutive loss

SOUTH BEND, IND. — With less than three minutes left in the first half, the No. 2 North Carolina men’s basketball team led Notre Dame by 15 points and appeared to be in control.

UNC looked more like the offensive juggernaut of the past than the one that struggled to score in recent weeks, and poor shooting plagued the Fighting Irish.

But as the first half turned into the second and Notre Dame started building momentum, the Tar Heels couldn’t keep their once imposing lead in tact and ultimately dropped Saturday’s road contest 80-76.

After falling to Louisville on Monday, Saturday’s loss marks North Carolina’s second in row after an 8-0 start to ACC play. And just like Monday, UNC had its chances, even after negating its early lead.

The Tar Heels opened the second half with a 39-30 advantage, but the Fighting Irish capitalized on a 13-3 run to tie the game at 48 with 12:23 left.

Notre Dame used its newfound momentum to seize its first lead of the second half moments later, and the Fighting Irish took the lead for good on a layup Bonzie Colson with 6:34 left.

But the Tar Heels didn’t go away. Led by senior guard Marcus Paige, North Carolina answered almost every Notre Dame basket with one of its own.

Yet, UNC couldn’t come away with the shots and defensive stops it needed.

A 4-0 run by Paige cut the deficit to 77-76 with 32 seconds left, but two free throws by Demetrius Jackson pushed Notre Dame’s lead to three.

Paige went for the tie on the Tar Heels’ ensuing possession, but his 3-pointer bounced off the rim with 13 seconds left. Steve Vasturia then made one of two free throws before UNC’s final shot attempt — a layup by Joel Berry — didn’t fall.

As the final buzzer sounded and the fans inside the Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center rushed the court, the Tar Heels headed to the locker room, having lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Quotable

“This is a tough week. It’s not just about us (getting up for a big game). Notre Dame got up as well. We had played Louisville, and they had lost the game before and we play them at their place. We play Notre Dame at their place. The world is not going to come to an end, but right now I’m extremely frustrated.” — Coach Roy Williams on his team’s performance against the Fighting Irish.

Notable

Nate Britt did not play in Saturday’s game because of a sprained back. At his press conference on Friday, Williams said the sophomore guard — who entered Saturday averaging 6.7 points per game — hadn’t practiced since Monday’s game at Louisville.

The Tar Heels have dropped three straight games to the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame defeated UNC twice during the 2014-15 season — including a 90-82 win in the ACC Championship game.

Three numbers that matter

21: Paige finished with 21 points after shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 5-for-8 from behind the arc. The senior had made five of his past 36 3-point attempts before Saturday’s game.

19: The Fighting Irish capitalized on UNC’s 13 giveaways, scoring 19 points off turnovers. The Tar Heels finished the game with zero points off turnovers.

23: Notre Dame hauled in 20 offensive rebounds on Saturday night, which led to 23 second-chance points.

What’s next?

The Tar Heels conclude their three-game road trip against Boston College at 8 p.m. on Tuesday in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

@patjames24

sports@dailytarheel.com