Three takeaways from North Carolina basketball’s overtime loss to Michigan State
No 12 UNC’s rough stretch in the Maui Invitational continued with another tough challenge against Michigan State. While the Tar Heels made adjustments in the second half, their inability to defend in the paint ultimately cost them in overtime, as they fell 94-91 to the Spartans on Wednesday night at the Lahaina Civic Center in Hawaii.
The Tar Heels (4-3) — facing a double-digit deficit for the third straight game — nearly made a comeback, but issues with offensive flow, defense and missed opportunities ultimately proved costly. Freshman Drake Powell’s breakout 18-point performance proved a highlight, but not enough to make up for rough shooting nights from starters RJ Davis (6-for-18 from the field) and Seth Trimble (held to nine points).
Here are three takeaways from UNC’s battle with the Spartans (6-2):
Cadeau’s second-half leadership sparks UNC
Elliot Cadeau demonstrated why Trimble has called him the “anchor” of this Tar Heel squad, as the point guard catalyzed UNC’s second-half effort.
After a foul-plagued first half — recording two personal fouls in the first two and a half minutes — Cadeau came alive. In the second frame, he drove aggressively to the basket, dished out five assists and locked down on defense. Cadeau’s play was essential in UNC’s comeback effort, including a key steal against Tre Holloman that seemed to spark the Tar Heel defense. North Carolina went on to record seven steals in the second half.
The sophomore guard also demonstrated resilience after a tough shooting start, recording 11 second-half points — including a clutch three-pointer to bring the Tar Heels within one possession with a minute to play. While Cadeau’s offensive efforts weren’t perfect, he showed great maturity in his ability to bounce back from the occasional airball or missed layup.
For UNC to succeed, the Tar Heels need him to stay aggressive, limit fouls and continue to lead both on and off the ball, as he can be the difference-maker in tight games.
Freshmen Powell, Jackson step up
Perhaps the biggest positive for UNC was the play of their freshmen, particularly Powell and Ian Jackson.
Powell was an offensive spark plug, finishing with 18 points on near-perfect shooting, and showed that he can contribute on both ends of the floor. His timely buckets — including a 3-pointer in overtime that pulled UNC within one point — and 10-point first-half performance showcased his ability to rise to the occasion when his team needed it most.
Although Powell wasn’t able to sink another triple to tie the game with 38 seconds remaining in overtime, his performance against Michigan State no doubt makes the case for his addition to the starting lineup.
Jackson also stepped up with a career-high 14 points on a solid 5-8 shooting performance. His ability to create for himself and sink high-degree difficulty shots kept the Tar Heels in the game. He also contributed four rebounds.
With 25 of UNC’s 34 first-half points coming from the bench, it was clear the freshmen were the driving force. Considering UNC’s struggles in the post, head coach Hubert Davis may consider using more small-ball rotations with Powell or Jackson at the small forward. Regardless, the Tar Heels need to find a way to better integrate these young talents alongside the upperclassmen.
UNC’s woes reach boiling point in OT
In overtime, UNC’s offensive and defensive struggles from regulation metastasized.
The Tar Heels’ inability to execute continued as All-American RJ Davis — who had struggled all night — went 1-for-5 from the floor. That included several critical missed layups and an uncharacteristic missed free throw, leaving him visibly frustrated.
UNC’s offense, once again, was stagnant and disjointed. Davis’ missed shots and failed offensive sets — his teammates were doing him no favors with ineffective screens on the perimeter — prevented the Tar Heels from mounting another late-game miracle run.
Defensively, the same issues from regulation reemerged.
Michigan State exploited UNC’s lack of post defense, with the Spartan’s Xavier Booker and Coen Carr dominating near the rim and recording multiple poster-worthy dunks in overtime. The Tar Heels’ lack of communication on screens and poor defensive rotations allowed Carr and Booker to command the game’s final minutes. All in all, the Spartans dominated the paint — racking up 50 points there.
The final moments showcased everything UNC struggled with throughout the game from missed shots to poor defensive positioning and just a general failure to execute. Despite strong individual efforts from Cadeau and Powell, the team’s collective inability to step up in crunch time left the Tar Heels on the losing end, with Davis’s three-pointer with 1.7 seconds doing nothing more than to help salve his stat line.