North Carolina basketball’s rally falls short in ‘embarrassing’ loss at Notre Dame

North Carolina’s rally fell short leading forward Armando Bacot to label the 78-73 loss to Notre Dame as “embarrassing.” It was UNC’s first road loss of the season.

On a frigid night in South Bend, with no pep band and no student section in Purcell Pavilion at Joyce Center, the atmosphere seemed more of fans observing the game than getting involved in it. When the electronic billboards flashed “Get loud,” throughout the game, the mandate was largely ignored by the crowd.

Carolina matched the energy in the building for far too long in the game.

“This is a bad loss on our part and we take full responsibility,” said Caleb Love, who had 15 points for the Heels. “Going forward, we just can’t let it happen again. We keep saying we can’t let it happen again, can’t let it happen again, but we have to change.”

The Tar Heels (10-4, 2-1 ACC) were down three players including starting forward Dawson Garcia, who suffered a concussion early in Sunday’s win at Boston College. Then they were buried by 3-pointers from the Irish.

Carolina allowed a season-high 13 3-pointers. The previous high was 11 3-pointers in a win at College of Charleston.

Nate Laszewski delivered the two that hurt the most. The Heels rallied from down 13 points to take a 67-66 lead with 3:28 left. It was their first lead since 15-14. But Laszewski delivered back-to-back 3s to put the Irish (8-5, 2-1) ahead for good. Laszewski, who had seven 3s in a loss in Chapel Hill last season, led Notre Dame with 20 points including six 3s.

“From a defensive standpoint, we didn’t do what we talked about and what we practiced in practice,” Davis said.. “And as a result, you leave open a really good 3-point shooter and he was able to make six of them.”

Bench(ed) scoring

With guard Kerwin Walton and forward Justin McKoy also out due to COVID-19 protocol, Carolina didn’t get the same scoring boost that it normally relies on from its bench. Garcia’s absence meant Brady Manek and his 12.7-point average, would be making his first start since the season opener.

Even when Walton isn’t scoring, the sophomore guard who led the team in both made 3s and 3-point shooting percentage last season is a threat that defenses have to be aware of on the floor.

Against the Irish, the Heels’ reserves didn’t have that same offensive punch. Guard Anthony Harris is known more for his defensive skills, although he did contribute five points. Seldom-used freshmen D’Marco Dunn and Dontrez Styles were forced into action, but neither scored a point.

“We knew coming in offensively it would be kind of hard to get into our regular sets, and we had to play a lot of freelance,” said Bacot, who added that’s not what beat the Heels. “I mean, they really didn’t defend us well, we just didn’t play good defense either and they just beat us.”

Pick your poison

Notre Dame coach Mike Brey was largely content to play Bacot, who finished with a career-high 17 rebounds, straight up. Through most of the first half, the Irish did not double team Bacot when he got the ball in the post.

The result was bad for whoever was guarding him, be it Laszewski or Paul Atkinson Jr. Bacot made 7 of his first 9 shots from the field and finished with 16 points in the first half. Even when the Irish decided late in the half to send a double, Bacot spun out of the pressure and made a layup.

Brey got his desired result while Bacot racked up points. Notre Dame didn’t allow Carolina to have many open looks from 3-point range, shots that generally come when Bacot passes out of a double team and the Heels share the ball.

Carolina was just 1-for-9 from 3-point range in the first half, but used a strong second half to finish shooting 36 percent from 3. Bacot scored a team-high 21 for UNC.

Defensive switches

UNC prides itself in being able to switch every pick on defense without exposing too many weaknesses. But against Notre Dame, it seemed like every switch ended with an advantage for the Irish. And there was a definite disconnect for Carolina defensively.

Notre Dame’s 6-foot-5 freshman guard Blake Wesley exploited it most when he’d get Manek or Bacot in front of him. Wesley finished with 18 points. Laszewski also took advantage with his 3-pointers. Love said he thought the Heels helped too much on drives, which left Irish players open.

“We knew coming in this was a 3-point shooting team and we didn’t stick with our game plan,” Love said. ”They just laced us up from 3.”

Davis disagreed. The defensive lapses appeared to be what disappointed Davis the most in the loss because of all the things he said they lacked.

“They were open because there was a lack of talking, lack of communication or lack of effort,” Davis said. “A lack of attention to detail and also a lack of being able to guard the ball. And so it wasn’t help position, we were in the wrong position.”

This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 11:06 PM.

C.L. Brown

The News & Observer

C.L. Brown covers the University of North Carolina for The News & Observer. Brown brings more than two decades of reporting experience including stints as the beat writer on Indiana University and the University of Louisville. After a long stay at the Louisville Courier-Journal, where he earned an APSE award, he’s had stops at ESPN.com, The Athletic and even tried his hand at running his own website, clbrownhoops.com.