Shooting around 33 percent from the field and 20 percent from 3-point range is simply not going to get it done in ACC play.
For the second game in a row, North Carolina failed to get its offense in any sort of rhythm, finding itself in too large of a deficit to get out of as the Tar Heels suffered another big loss — 98-76 at the hands of Wake Forest.
Whether it was poor shot selection or bad decision-making that led to turnovers, the Tar Heels were not executing properly on offense to compete with Wake Forest’s high-powered offense, which included three players that scored at least 19 points.
“The problem was when we were taking an early shot or turning it over which led into their transition and us fouling them in transition and them shooting,” forward Brady Manek said. “Just comes down to making smart plays, executing plays.”
What is concerning for the Tar Heels is how eerily similar the start of this game looked to the last game against Miami. Junior forward Armando Bacot was unable to establish his presence in the paint early due to multiple Demon Deacons pressuring him whenever he touched the ball in the post.
Head coach Hubert Davis recognized that this change in defensive strategy from opposing teams has contributed to his team’s offensive woes.
“From a defensive standpoint, they’ve been more physical and geared toward making it more difficult for Armando to really dominate down low in the paint,” Davis said. “They’re making it very difficult for him to get the ball where he can finish around the basket.”
Wake Forest succeeded in doing just that tonight, holding Bacot to one made basket in the first half and 12 points on just 4-12 from the field for the entire game — uncharacteristic from the efficient big man.
With Bacot being the converging point of the Demon Deacons' defense, the Tar Heels were unable to dominate the paint. Therefore, the guards were forced to attempt to break down defenders one-on-one on the outside and take more difficult shots, leading to a snowball effect for UNC’s offense.
