Seventh Woods has career-best performance with eight assists, no turnovers

In a fluid motion, Seventh Woods gathered the ball in front of him and twisted it behind his back, snapping it perfectly to a waiting Cameron Johnson in the corner. The North Carolina fans watching drew in their breath in reaction.

Johnson rewarded them, splashing home the 3-pointer to put the Tar Heels up by 35. The crowd erupted in one of the loudest moments of a night full of impressive plays as the Tar Heels (4-0) ran away with a 108-58 victory over Tennessee Tech. 

“I honestly didn't know I did it until after I did it, so I guess it was natural,” Woods said of the behind-the-back pass.

Moments later, after a missed jumper by Tennessee Tech (0-4), Woods dished the ball off to junior Brandon Robinson, who flipped in a lay-up to complete Woods’ career-high seventh assist of the game. The point guard added another dime on a jumper by first-year Nassir Little less than two minutes later. He got all eight assists in just 17 minutes on the floor.

“The game has definitely slowed down to me,” Woods said. “I realize how good my bigs are, so if I can get the ball inside to them, nine times out of ten they're going to score the ball. So that’s an easy assist for me. And I realized that early on.”

The junior found six different players on his assists: big men Sterling Manley, Luke Maye and Garrison Brooks —who gathered his for an emphatic dunk — as well as Johnson, Robinson and Little.  

Woods also connected on three of his five shots for seven points.

To his head coach, there was one stat that was more impressive than anything else. 

“No turnovers,” Roy Williams said. “That's an easy deal guys. I've been preaching for three years, stay in front of the ball and don't turn the sucker over and you get to play more. It's pretty easy.”

Establishing a right to playing time is something that is important to Woods, as he is competing with first-year Coby White for time at point guard. White has seized the starting role through four games this season, but Woods has impressed off the bench.

Woods struggled to stay healthy in his first two years in Chapel Hill, and when on the floor he struggled to avoid turnovers. Early in his junior year, neither issue has held him back. He is having perhaps his best start to a season since arriving at UNC, and said he is the healthiest he has been since “maybe my sophomore year of high school to be honest with you.”

“I think he knows what his role is, and he's really playing at a high level and doing it,” Maye said.

That is crucial for the Tar Heels, for whom the point guard spot was one of the big question marks heading into the season. White is the most prolific scorer in NC high school history, but replacing Joel Berry II at the helm of the UNC offense as a true first-year was a daunting task. Woods was questionable himself with a spotty track record when on the floor. That position drew constant questioning for Williams in the preseason.

Four games into the season, it looks like Williams has found two answers for the No. 1 spot.

That is thanks in part to Woods growing comfortable with the spotlight on him again. The biggest difference for him so far this season?

“I would say my confidence,” Woods said. “Realizing I'm capable of making the right play. I think the biggest part for me is realizing I'm going to make turnovers, make mistakes. So you just gotta move on as quickly as possible, focus on the next play.”

The maturity has trickled down. As White has made the jump to the next level of basketball, Woods has led by example. 

“He's helped a lot,” White said. “I'm trying to follow his lead. He teaches me a lot on and off the court, and I'm just trying to get a grasp of it.

For a head coach that doesn’t tend to heap on praise, Williams has been impressed with the progression of his main ball handlers. The evolution of Woods’ plays certainly helps. After the game Friday night, Williams looked at the stat sheet.

“I'm pretty doggone pleased with our point guard position,” he said. Reading off the stat lines for Woods and White, he smiled. “I do feel pretty good about that.” 

@james_tatter

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