3-point struggles against UVa. are a microcosm of UNC's season-long slump from deep

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — For two seasons, the likes of Coby White, Cameron Johnson, Kenny Williams and Luke Maye rewrote record books behind the arc for North Carolina.

The 2017-18 Tar Heels, running a small lineup with Maye at center, set a program best with 305 3-pointers. Last year’s roster trumped them with 312 — and a record 8.7 3-pointers per game.

As for the 2019-20 team, which just dropped to 6-3 after a 56-47 loss to Virginia? To put it lightly: If the rim looks like an ocean when you’re hot, UNC’s staring at a puddle right now.

The Tar Heels had plenty of shortcomings, but their total lack of an outside game — against No. 5 Virginia's pack-line defense that incentivizes such shots — stuck out like a sore thumb.

No. 7 North Carolina made 1 of 14 threes Sunday, bricking its share of open shots en route to 7.1 percent, tied for the third worst single-game 3-point percentage in program history. Its season percentage dropped to 28.4.

“You've just got to make shots, man,” guard Andrew Platek said. “That’s not the only thing, but that's a huge part of our offense. We’re all really good basketball players, and we’re all really frustrated right now.”

Head coach Roy Williams said in his media day news conference shooting might be an issue for this team — as she should have. Any time you lose gunners like White and Johnson to the NBA, along with reliable outside threats like Williams and Maye, that’s a worry.

But, even without Brandon Robinson, UNC rebuffed that claim in its first two games. The team sank 10 threes against Notre Dame — six from Cole Anthony — and eight against UNC-Wilmington.

Since then, North Carolina’s made no more than seven in a game. And its percentage has plummeted. Some particularly poor nights: 3-19 against Elon, 2-13 against Michigan. Then came Virginia.

“I don't know,” forward Armando Bacot said. “We can't shoot the ball right now. We just can't.”

The Tar Heels were 0 for 9 from three in a sloppy first half, missing open and contested shots alike. The reprieve — the only reprieve, ultimately — came at the 17:33 mark.

After Garrison Brooks grabbed an offensive rebound, he smartly sent it right back out to Anthony, who drained a step-back from the top of the key. It cut UNC’s deficit to 27-25.

That was it.

North Carolina only took four more 3-pointers in the second half. That can be somewhat attributed to a deliberate attempt to work Brooks and Bacot down low — which UNC did with success at times. But if seeing teammates’ shots go in helps you, the opposite’s equally true.

“I'm frustrated with myself,” said Robinson, who shot 0 for 3 from three. “I'm not hitting shots, just not focusing, taking my time. That’s frustrating for me ... I want to help my team.”

Reserves such as Platek and Justin Pierce have echoed the same this week. After UNC’s blowout loss to Ohio State, Pierce said he felt like he was in the worst shooting slump “of his life.” Platek offered a similar evaluation Sunday.

“Me personally, I've never struggled like this my entire life,” he said.

The individual stats aren’t pretty. Through nine games, Anthony (22) has more than three times as many 3-pointers as the next in line (Robinson and Pierce, with seven). Christian Keeling, a graduate transfer expected to slot into Johnson’s role on this team, is 4 of 19.

“It's tough luck, pretty much,” guard Leaky Black said.

As for the antidote? Players said it’s persistence. Eventually, a shot will fall. And another. Hopefully they can ride that wave. Hopefully.

“The work's going to pay itself in the end,” Platek said. “You've just got to keep doing the right things, doing the right things, doing right things ... we're going to break through, and when we do, it's going to be Carolina basketball.”

@chapelfowler

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